‎Davide Ancelotti defends Mbappe after Red Card vs Alaves: 'Not a violent kid'

‎Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti has come to the defense of star forward Kylian Mbappe following his straight red card in Sunday’s 1-0 La Liga win over Alaves. Just minutes after Eduardo Camavinga opened the scoring for Los Blancos, Mbappe was sent off for a rash challenge on Antonio Blanco — an incident that could now see him suspended for up to three domestic matches.

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‎'Kylian Mbappe.'

‎Getty Images

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‎Speaking post-match, Ancelotti acknowledged the severity of the foul but was quick to emphasize Mbappe's character, rejecting any notion that the Frenchman acted with malicious intent.

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‎“I haven’t spoken to him since,” Ancelotti said. “Kylian isn’t a violent kid, he’s a kid who has apologized and is aware of what he’s done. It was a clear red card and he’s paid the consequences.”

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‎The assistant coach also hinted at a pattern of provocation, pointing out that Alaves players had repeatedly targeted Mbappe with minor fouls, which may have contributed to his outburst. “The many small fouls committed against him have made him react this way, which isn’t right. I’m not justifying it, but that’s what happened.”

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‎Despite going down to 10 men, Madrid managed to secure a vital three points to stay firmly in the La Liga title race. However, Mbappe’s likely suspension comes at a delicate time, with several critical league fixtures on the horizon. The ban, though, will only apply to domestic competitions, meaning the 26-year-old remains eligible to play in the Champions League.

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‎Real Madrid are counting on Mbappe to deliver on Wednesday as they aim to overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit against Arsenal in their Champions League quarter-final clash at the Santiago Bernabéu.

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‎With both discipline and determination in the spotlight, all eyes will be on how Mbappe responds to adversity — and whether he can be the difference-maker in Real Madrid’s European ambitions.