'It's a disgrace!' - Barcelona vice-president rages over Kylian Mbappe's 'absurd' one-match La Liga ban as Real Madrid star gets off lightly for 'chilling' red card tackle on Alaves midfielder Antonio Blanco

During Real Madrid’s 1-0 La Liga win last weekend, Mbappe was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Alaves midfielder Blanco. Many expected the French forward to face a multi-game ban. However, the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) Disciplinary Committee handed down only a one-match ban earlier this week.

Mbappe will now only sit out Madrid’s upcoming league fixture against Athletic Club. Crucially for Los Blancos, he remains eligible for the much-anticipated Copa del Rey final against Barcelona - a match he could have missed had the suspension been harsher.

The punishment has not sat well with Barcelona, with Rafa Yuste, the club’s vice-president, stating that the punishment did not reflect the seriousness of the offence.

Speaking to reporters, he said: "The tackle and the sanction is absolutely absurd. It was chilling and could have injured the opponent. It’s a disgrace."

Barcelona and Real Madrid have already faced off twice in the current campaign, with the Blaugrana triumphing on both occasions, once in the league and again in the Spanish Super Cup. However, the intensity is set to escalate further as the two clubs are scheduled to meet again twice before the season concludes. The next chapter in the rivalry comes in the Copa del Rey final, where the stakes couldn’t be higher. That showdown will be followed by another high-profile league meeting, with both matches likely to have significant implications.