In the just-concluded 31st round of La Liga, Real Madrid won 1-0 away to Alaves, but there is a hidden danger behind this victory. French star Mbappe in the first half for a too intense action by the VAR back to see a direct red card sentenced, or will face three to four games ban, and may even miss the King’s Cup final with Barcelona on April 26th.
Red card sudden: Mbappe dangerous action was directly sent off
The game was in the 37th minute when the wind changed. Alaves midfielder Blanco had just passed the ball out, and before he could get his foot back, Mbappe stepped on his opponent’s calf. At that moment, Blanco’s leg was obviously deformed and he fell to the ground in pain. Initially, referee Grado only showed a yellow card, but after the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened, he quickly changed the decision to a direct red card.
Mbappe did not make any protest against the penalty, but just silently left the field. This foul not only affects the team lineup, but also casts a shadow on his eligibility to play next. According to La Liga rules, such an action is usually punishable by a three-match ban.
French striker in trouble as he may miss Barcelona clash
Mbappe will miss the three matches against Athletic Bilbao, Getafe and Celta if the criteria of “violent behavior” is applied. But it may not stop there. Former Spanish professional referee Perez Brewer said bluntly in an interview, “The foul was so rough that Mbappe clearly wasn’t going for the ball.” If the La Liga Disciplinary Committee decides that the foul was “intentional and malicious”, then Mbappe will be banned for four matches, including the most crucial one – the Copa del Rey title match with Barcelona.
For Real Madrid, this is obviously a huge loss. Mbappe, as the absolute core of the team’s attacking line, will greatly weaken the team’s forward line once he is unable to play in the final.
Match Review: Real Madrid holds on to win with one man short
Despite playing with one less player in the first half, Real Madrid still showed great toughness. In the 34th minute, Camarvinga seized the opportunity to score the only goal of the match, and established the lead for the team. It is worth mentioning that the game was characterized by a tight midfield rhythm and frequent physical confrontations, and some fans even quipped that it was more like a Champions League knockout match.
In the 70th minute, Alaves defender Manu Sanchez was also sent off for a yellow card for a foul, and the two sides were back in balance again. In the end, Real Madrid kept their title hopes alive with a stubborn defense to preserve the victory and narrow the points gap with Barcelona to four.
Mbappe’s fourth red card in history, first in five years
This isn’t the first time Mbappe has received a red in a professional match. In fact, it was the fourth red card of his career and the first since 2019. Surprisingly, it was the first time he was ejected in the first half of a La Liga match. The last Real Madrid striker to be red carded in the first half was Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2008.
Such an embarrassing record also put the French captain in a public opinion storm. Some media outlets have even criticized Mbappe for his unstable mentality, especially when the team is under pressure and is prone to emotional behavior.
Alaves fans “secretly”: wearing Arsenal shirts to welcome Real Madrid
It’s worth noting that some Alaves fans wore Arsenal jerseys before the match started, clearly mocking Real Madrid’s 0-3 defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League. This also added a bit of gunpowder flavor to the match. Instead of confronting the fans, Real Madrid responded with a victory on the pitch.
A look at both sides’ starting lineups
Alaves lineup:
Owono; Manu Sanchez, Abcar (76′ Diarra), Mourinho, Tenaglia; Jordan (76′ Guevara), Blanco (83′ Cabanes), Vicente; Alena (83′ Benavides), Martin (60′ Tony Martinez), Kike Garcia.
Real Madrid line-up:
Courtois; Vázquez, Rüdiger, Asensio, Fran García (77′ Brahim Diaz); Chouamene, Camarvinga, Valverde (90′ Ceballos); Guller (63′ Bellingham), Rodrigo (62′ Vinicius), Mbappe.
Summary: Red card fiasco tests Real Madrid’s ability to resist pressure
Mbappe’s red card not only puts Real Madrid in a passive position in the game, but also brings a potential blow to the upcoming fixtures. Whether it’s the three tough matches in the league’s sprint phase or the crucial match in the Copa del Rey, the French star’s absence could be the deciding factor.
The La Liga Disciplinary Committee has yet to announce the final verdict, but predictably, whether it’s a three- or four-game ban, the decision will have a profound impact on Real Madrid’s upcoming campaign. Will the team be able to continue its steady output without Mbappe? All to be revealed in time.
