Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has issued an apology to his teammates and Alavés midfielder Antonio Blanco following his dismissal during Sunday’s La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The French international was shown a straight red card in the 38th minute for a reckless challenge on Blanco, marking his first sending-off since 2019.
Mbappé, who possesses Cameroonian and Algerian heritage, was visibly remorseful after the incident and reportedly expressed regret in the dressing room.
Blanco, the recipient of the tackle, confirmed the apology, stating, “It was a strong tackle, I spoke with Kylian, he apologised and there is no problem, these are actions that can happen in football.”
Initially cautioned with a yellow card, the decision was upgraded to red following a VAR review due to the severity of the challenge.
Assistant coach Davide Ancelotti, standing in for the suspended Carlo Ancelotti, acknowledged the red card was justified but suggested that repeated minor fouls against Mbappé may have contributed to his uncharacteristic reaction.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Real Madrid secured a 1-0 victory over Alavés, with Eduardo Camavinga scoring the decisive goal in the 34th minute.
Mbappé is expected to serve a three-match suspension but reports suggest it could be just one game.
However, he remains eligible for Real Madrid’s crucial Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal, where they aim to overturn a 3-0 deficit.
