Why Kylian Mbappe committed horror red card challenge revealed by Real Madrid boss | OneFootball

Real Madrid assistant coach Davide Ancelotti claimed that Kylian Mbappe's forceful tackle on Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco was a consequence of the frustration built up from "the many small fouls" the Frenchman had suffered during Sunday's contest.

Eduardo Camavinga had only given Real Madrid the lead four minutes earlier when Blanco stretched to stop a counter-attack. Mbappe came hurtling towards the vague direction of the ball but only succeeded into crunching his studs onto his opponent's shin.

Somehow, referee Cesar Soto Grado initially awarded Mbappe a yellow card, but as soon as the official was directed to the touch-side monitor everyone knew what was coming. As Lucas Vazquez told Mbappe: "He's going to send you off, he's going to send you off, man."

No one on the pitch or Real Madrid's bench had any complaints, but they weren't prepared to abandon their star man entirely. Filling in while his father Carlo served a suspension, Davide Ancelotti tried to add some context to Mbappe's wild stab.

Mbappe's ugly challenge led to a straight red card / Soccrates Images/GettyImages

"It's clear a red card and he paid for it," the Italian told assembled media after Sunday's scrappy 1-0 win. "Surely the many small fouls made him react like that. It's not the way to react but surely [that's] what happened."

Mbappe had spent much of the first 38 minutes getting buffeted around Mendizorroza yet didn't earn a single foul from Soto Grado.

Ancelotti Jr was also at pains to defend his striker's character: "First of all, we have to say that Mbappe is not violent, he has asked for forgiveness, he is aware of what he has done."

Blanco, the former Real Madrid academy player on the receiving end of Mbappe's reckless challenge, didn't make a meal of the incident on the pitch and took a leniant view after the game. "It was a harsh tackle, but he apologised, which is the most important thing," the 24-year-old shrugged. "These are plays that can happen, they are part of football, and they stay on the pitch."

As Soto Grado only deemed Mbappe to have used "excessive force" rather than committed "violent conduct", the Frenchman is expected to be banned for Madrid's next two league matches; a visit from Athletic Club next Sunday before a trip to Getafe on 23 April.