Barcelonavs.Real Madrid

The French forward was given his marching orders following a horror tackle on Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco in the first half of Real's 1-0 win on the road over the weekend.

All suspensions are dealt with individually, unlike the Premier League, where a dismissal for violent conduct is met with an instant three-game ban.

In La Liga, challenges which cause risk but do not produce "harmful consequences" are punished by suspensions between one and three matches.

Following a forceful challenge into the shin of Blanco, many have claimed Mbappe is hugely fortunate to only get away with a one-match ban, meaning he will be available to play in the Copa del Rey final El Clasico against Barcelona at the end of the month.

Mbappe back for Copa del Rey final

Spanish journalist Arancha Rodriguez, who has close ties with Real Madrid, revealed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Mbappe's suspension will be just one match.

That will rule the 26-year-old out of Real Madrid's clash with Athletic Bilbao at the weekend, which will still be hugely important in their prospects of closing the four-point margin to Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

Mbappe will be available for the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal on Wednesday before serving the ban, but he will be back to face Getafe a few days before the Copa del Rey final on April 26.

A three-game ban, which was anticipated by many, would have ruled him out of those two matches, meaning he would not play again until May, but the more lenient punishment will see him return much earlier.

Controversy around Mbappe punishment

Unsurprisingly, there has been plenty of backlash upon the breaking of this news, with pundits and rival fans dismayed at the leniency of the decision.

Some have referenced Angel Correa's hefty five-game suspension that was handed down to him following a red card against Getafe in March, when the Atletico Madrid forward was very late in a challenge on Djene, but by no means charged into the tackle with as much force.

La Liga have been further criticised for a perceived lack of consistency in handing a three-game ban to then-Barcelona striker Vitor Roque at the tail end of last season for a 50/50 collision between him and Alaves defender Rafa Marin.

The federation will be under the spotlight further if Mbappe goes on to have a big impact in the Copa final against Barcelona at the end of the month, in a fixture that does not need any more controversy to stoke tensions.

Written by

Andrew Delaney