China leaves Real Madrid match off TV after Mbappe video controversy

Chinese broadcasters did not show Real Madrid’s 3-0 win at Racing Santander after a video involving Kylian Mbappe caused anger in China over comments about former leader Mao Zedong.

The La Liga fixture, played in the 11th round of the season, was absent from Chinese television in what appeared to be the fulfilment of warnings issued after the controversy surrounding the France forward.

French outlet Foot Mercato reported that the match was not broadcast after a video emerged in which Mbappe described Mao Zedong, China’s former leader, as a dictator.

According to Agence France-Presse, the game was unavailable on either of the two sports channels operated by China Central Television (CCTV). It was also not shown on Migu, one of the country’s leading digital streaming platforms.

The decision extended beyond Real Madrid’s game. AFP reported that, so far, no La Liga match from the current round had been broadcast on Chinese television, amid the reaction to the video involving Mbappe.

However, Migu continued to stream other matches from the competition. That included Barcelona’s 6-1 victory over Deportivo Alaves on Saturday, making the absence of Real Madrid’s match from the platform particularly noticeable.

Real Madrid’s performance on the pitch was unaffected by the developments away from football. They secured a convincing win over the hosts at El Sardinero, with the result extending their run of positive results.

The victory moved Real Madrid to within three points of leaders Barcelona in the La Liga table and strengthened their position in third place.

The incident has therefore combined an important result in the title race with an unexpected media dispute in the Chinese market. Mbappe’s comments have left Real Madrid supporters in China unable to watch one of the team’s league matches, while the consequences for the club’s relationship with Chinese broadcasters and streaming services remain a focus of attention.