UEFA has confirmed it will not enforce the new red card rule for players who cover their mouths during confrontations in its club competitions, the governing body announced on Thursday.

The rule, which was approved by the International Football Association Board (Ifab) in April, will therefore not apply to matches in the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League.

The Prestianni incident that sparked the debate

The issue of players concealing their speech during on-pitch exchanges became a major talking point in February, when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt to cover his mouth while talking to Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr in a Champions League match.

Prestianni, who plays international football for Argentina, was accused of racial abuse and received a provisional one-match ban. A subsequent UEFA investigation found him guilty of homophobic conduct, resulting in a six-match suspension — three of which were suspended.

Infantino's idea and its World Cup debut

The red card provision was conceived by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who argued the measure would have