Lisandro Martínez suffered a minor soleus muscle issue and did not play for Manchester United in their Premier League match against Everton on Matchday 27. The absence caused some concern among Argentina fans, but early reports bring positive news.

According to The Athletic, medical tests showed that the injury is mild. The Argentine defender is expected to return to normal training during the week. Because of this, his availability for the Finalissima against Spain on March 27 in Doha, Qatar is not in danger.

The injury is not serious, but Manchester United decided to be careful. Martínez has had a difficult year with injuries. In February, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and had surgery. He returned to official competition on November 30 in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace after several months of recovery.

Since his comeback, Martínez has been very important for United. The team’s results clearly show his impact. Manchester United have won only 7 of 18 matches without him in the starting lineup, compared to 5 wins in 9 matches when he started. He was also one of the best players in recent big wins against Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.

After returning from his knee injury, the World Cup winner admitted that the recovery process was very tough. He even said he thought about quitting football during rehab. However, he later explained that he feels physically and mentally stronger than ever thanks to the work done by the club’s medical staff.

Gianluca Prestianni has been provisionally suspended by UEFA following a racism complaint filed by Vinícius Júnior during Benfica’s Champions League playoff match against Real Madrid.

UEFA confirmed that its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) imposed a provisional suspension after receiving a preliminary report from the Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector assigned to review the events of February 17, 2026, at the Estádio da Luz.

As a result, Prestianni will miss the second leg of the Round of 16 tie scheduled for February 25 while the investigation continues.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred after Vinícius scored for Real Madrid. The Brazilian forward informed the referee that he had been subjected to a racist insult by Prestianni. The alleged term used was “mono.” Prestianni has denied the accusation.

Benfica publicly supported their player and released video footage, stating that Real Madrid players were positioned at a distance from the alleged exchange.

Real Madrid submitted evidence to UEFA and expressed support for Vinícius. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) also issued a statement backing the player and acknowledging the activation of anti-racism procedures.

UEFA stated that the provisional suspension is based on a potential “prima facie” violation of Article 14 of its Disciplinary Regulations, which addresses discriminatory conduct. The measure is preventive and does not represent a final decision.

The governing body clarified that a final ruling will be announced once the investigation is completed and all evidence has been reviewed. Until then, Prestianni is not eligible to participate in the next UEFA competition match for which he would otherwise be available.

The case remains under review, and UEFA indicated that additional information will be communicated when appropriate.