Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle during his team’s hard-fought 1-0 La Liga win against Alavés at the Mendizorroza Stadium on Sunday. The incident, which marked Mbappé’s first red card since joining the Spanish giants last summer, overshadowed an otherwise crucial victory that kept Real Madrid within four points of league leaders Barcelona.
The match began brightly for Los Blancos, with Eduardo Camavinga scoring a stunning curling strike from outside the penalty area in the 34th minute to give his side the lead. However, just four minutes later, the game took a dramatic turn. Mbappé, visibly frustrated after a series of uncalled fouls, lunged into a high challenge on Alavés midfielder Antonio Blanco, catching the former Real Madrid academy player on the shin with his studs. Referee César Soto Grado initially issued a yellow card but upgraded it to a straight red following a VAR review, leaving Real Madrid to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
“Kylian isn’t a violent lad, for sure; he’s said sorry, he’s aware of the mistake he made,” said assistant coach Davide Ancelotti, who took charge in the absence of his father, Carlo Ancelotti, suspended after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season in a previous match. “All the little fouls they committed on him made him react in that way. It wasn’t the right way, I’m not justifying it, but that’s what happened.”
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Real Madrid held firm, thanks in large part to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who made six saves to preserve the clean sheet. Alavés also finished the match with 10 players after defender Manu Sánchez was sent off in the 70th minute for a high tackle on Vinícius Júnior, leveling the playing field. The hosts pushed for an equalizer, but Real Madrid’s defense, bolstered by the introduction of Jude Bellingham and Vinícius from the bench, stood resolute.
The victory came at a critical juncture for Real Madrid, who are battling to close the gap on Barcelona in the La Liga title race. However, Mbappé’s dismissal leaves the team facing challenges ahead. The French forward, who has scored 22 goals in La Liga this season, is expected to miss at least two upcoming matches against Athletic Club and Getafe due to the mandatory suspension for a straight red card. If the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) deems the tackle particularly severe, the ban could extend to three games, though early reports suggest a lighter punishment is likely as Blanco was not injured.
Mbappé’s red card adds to a difficult week for Real Madrid, who suffered a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday. With the second leg looming at the Santiago Bernabéu, the team will need to regroup quickly. “What happened made it a bit more difficult for us, but winning gives us confidence for what we want to happen on Wednesday,” Davide Ancelotti said, referring to the upcoming Arsenal clash.
The match was not without further controversy, as play was briefly halted in the second half due to offensive chants directed at Real Madrid defender Raúl Asencio from sections of the Alavés crowd. Referee Soto Grado paused the game to address the issue, with Davide Ancelotti later calling the incident “disappointing.”