During a recent La Liga match between Real Madrid and Alaves, Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe was issued a straight red card approximately 38 minutes into the game. Shortly after teammate Eduardo Camavinga put Real Madrid ahead, Mbappe committed a dangerous tackle on Alaves player Antonio Blanco. The challenge prompted a review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), resulting in the referee showing Mbappe a straight red card, sending him off the field.
Beyond the immediate disappointment of his performance, this red card carries potential future consequences for the French forward and Real Madrid, notably including the possibility of him missing the Copa del Rey final scheduled for April 26 against rivals FC Barcelona.
According to assistant coach Davide Ancelotti (son of head coach Carlo Ancelotti), speaking after the match, Kylian is not inherently a violent player and has apologized, acknowledging his error. Ancelotti described the tackle as a “clear red-card challenge” and stated that Mbappe is facing the consequences. He also suggested that preceding fouls against Mbappe contributed to his reaction, though he didn`t justify the action itself.
Missing the final depends on how the referee describes the tackle in the official match report. If categorized as a `serious offense,` it could lead to a lengthy suspension. Under Spanish FA rules, a ban of four games or more for league offenses can apply to cup competitions, meaning a suspension of this magnitude or greater would prevent Mbappe from participating in the Copa del Rey final against FC Barcelona in Seville on April 26.
Stats provider Opta notes that this red card makes Mbappe only the second Real Madrid striker this century to be sent off in the first half of a La Liga match, the other being Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2008. Despite this incident, Mbappe has had a successful debut season for Real Madrid, currently matching Cristiano Ronaldo`s first-season tally with 32 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions. However, the red card against Alaves is seen as a low point in his Real Madrid career so far, potentially having significant repercussions for the upcoming final.
