Mbappé’s apology

From fury to remorse. Kylian Mbappé saw red at Mendizorroza after a reckless challenge on former Real Madrid player Antonio Blanco. And before the adrenaline had even cooled, he was already seeking forgiveness. First, he approached Blanco personally in the Alavés locker room to apologize face to face. Then, according to information obtained by AS, he addressed his Real Madrid teammates to express regret for leaving them with ten men for an hour in such a gritty match. There were no excuses – just disappointment in himself. He left Vitoria deeply upset.

Mbappé takes responsibility

From bad to less bad: inside the club, there’s some relief. Mbappé is expected to receive a suspension of no more than three matches, meaning he will be eligible for the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26. He’ll be at La Cartuja. Internally, there’s an understanding that the Frenchman was “really fired up” after taking a pair of hard knocks from Mouriño and Abqar just minutes before. That doesn’t absolve him, but it helps explain the red mist. Blanco, for his part, was quick to forgive, accepting the outstretched hand offered by Mbappé as the players were leaving the stadium – an image obtained by this paper.

“It was a strong challenge,” Blanco told reporters in the mixed zone. “I spoke to Kylian, he apologized, and there’s no problem. These things happen in football.”

When was Mbappé’s last red card?

This was Mbappé’s first red card since 2019, when he was sent off for PSG against Rennes. Despite what unfolded at Mendizorroza – and the fact that he didn’t protest the referee’s decision, knowing full well the fault was his – the French star is not known for losing his head. This season, he has received just four yellow cards, and only five in his final campaign at PSG.

As for the next step, it’s in the hands of the league’s disciplinary committee. Because Blanco was not injured and continued playing, Article 130 applies – a ban of one to three games. Only a four-match suspension or greater would sideline Mbappé for the Copa final. Based on similar cases, two matches seems most likely.

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