Hackett Exclusive: Mbappe gets away with ‘abject nonsense’ before Arsenal clash
Kylian Mbappe only being given a one-match ban after his red card against Alaves should leave La Liga adminstrators “ashamed of themselves”, Keith Hackett has said.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider he was “appalled” that the Real Madrid forward would avoid a longer suspension following his studs-up tackle on Antonio Blanco.
Mbappe’s Madrid host Arsenal in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, with a 3-0 deficit to overcome after Declan Rice’s free-kicks and Mikel Merino’s strike at The Emirates.
Arsenal’s centre-back duo of William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior did well to keep Mbappe and his fellow Galacticos at arm’s length in the first leg, with Mikel Arteta’s side already having one foot in the last four.
Kylian Mbappe avoids lengthy ban for ‘awful’ red card
While Arsenal will be full of confidence that they can keep Real Madrid at bay and utilise their three-goal aggregate lead to their advantage, they’d much rather face an Mbappe who had been dealt a long ban.
Hackett had exclusively told Football Insider that Mbappe’s horror challenge on Blanco, coming four minutes after Eduardo Camavinga had scored Madrid’s winner, should have warranted a 10-game ban.
| Date | Competition | Opponent |
| 16 April | Champions League quarter-final second leg | Arsenal (H) |
| 20 April | La Liga | Athletic Bilbao (H) |
| 23 April | La Liga | Getafe (A) |
| 26 April | Copa del Rey Final | Barcelona (N) |
| 3 May | La Liga | Celta Vigo (H) |
| 11 May | La Liga | Barcelona (A) |
| 14 May | La Liga | Mallorca (H) |
| 18 May | La Liga | Sevilla (A) |
| 25 May | La Liga | Real Sociedad (H) |
Mbappe’s suspension – regardless of its length – wouldn’t have affected Champions League matches, but Spanish outlet COPE were the first to confirm that the Frenchman would only miss one league game.
As a result, Mbappe will only miss Madrid’s next LaLiga game against Athletic Club, and in the remaining six matches of the season – including 11 May’s Clasico against leaders Barcelona – he’ll be free to play.
‘Inadequate’ Kylian Mbappe ban to spark La Liga appeal – Keith Hackett
Speaking to Football Insider after being told that Mbappe would miss just a single match as opposed to the 10 he had predicted and expected, the former Premier League and FIFA referee said:
“An abject nonsense and those administrators who sat in judgement and came to this awful decision should be ashamed of themselves”, Hackett told Football Insider.
“I hope that there is someone in authority that can promote an appeal from this inadequate sentence of a one game ban. The UEFA President should masticate a review of this decision.
“I am appalled at this inadequate one-match ban.”
After Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts saw a three-game suspension doubled after a studs-up challenge on Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, the surprise at Mbappe’s ban is certainly understandable.
Arsenal, however, may see the news as a positive, as had his ban extended across the end of Madrid’s La Liga campaign, Wednesday’s second leg would have potentially been Mbappe’s last chance to make an impact this season.