A player in an orange uniform appears to be falling to the ground while another player in a blue and white uniform is on the ground looking up at him; at the top of the image, there is a circle showing a close-up of a person with a white cap.
Kylian Mbappé leaves a curious reaction to the kick he suffered at RCDE Stadium | Camara Real Madrid Confidencial
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Mbappé's gesture says it all: this is how he reacts when asked about the forgiven red card

The '9' of Real Madrid was the target of one of the toughest tackles of the season.

by

Enrique Sanz

The controversy surrounding Real Madrid's defeat at the RCDE Stadium continues. It's not surprising considering the unanimous analysis that the action of Carlos Romero on Kylian Mbappé provokes: the Bondy striker received a studs-up tackle on his left leg.

Despite the brutality and spectacular nature of the tackle, the match referee only cautioned with a yellow card the Espanyol player. That decision had much more influence on the match than Muñiz Ruiz could have imagined: Carlos Romero himself scored, in the 85th minute, the winning goal.

A player in an orange uniform tries to dodge a tackle from a player in a blue and white uniform during a match, while the scoreboard shows a tie at zero.
The brutal kick Kylian Mbappé received against Espanyol | DAZN

After everything that happened around this match in the Ciudad Condal, one of the first questions was directed at Kylian Mbappé. The French footballer was a protagonist as he passed through the mixed zone, where many journalists asked him about the action involving Carlos Romero. His reaction, as well as Muñiz Ruiz's decision in resolving that play, will bring much more debate.

Because Kylian Mbappé decided not to make any verbal comment, walking past the journalists without stopping to talk to them. But he did leave a gesture, bringing a hand to his mouth and closing it as if it were a zipper, which doesn't express with words... but says a lot about what the Bondy striker might be thinking regarding Carlos Romero's tackle.

He doesn't want to comment

The Parisian forward makes a statement of intent: he prefers to remain silent, rather than express his true opinion, to avoid a possible sanction. It wouldn't be the first time this happens in LaLiga, so Real Madrid's communication services have clearly warned him about what could happen if he responds.

The indignation among Madridists over the resolution of that play by Muñiz Ruiz, a referee who also didn't bring good memories to the white fans, hasn't ended. It has only grown in recent hours, especially due to gestures like the one made by a very sincere Kylian Mbappé.

A player in an orange uniform is knocked down by an opponent in a blue uniform during a match, while the crowd watches from the stands.
Kylian Mbappé suffered a very hard tackle during his visit to RCDE Stadium | Didac Aguirre

Be that as it may, everyone at the white club knows they can't remain stuck in past mistakes. The tough competitive schedule of this season now demands focus for the match against Leganés, a Copa del Rey quarter-final clash to be played at Butarque.

This new away game far from Santiago Bernabéu is the perfect opportunity to forget about a controversy that will follow Carlo Ancelotti's pupils in the coming days. Especially if they continue to speak in terms similar to those chosen by Kylian Mbappé to talk about the kick he received at the RCDE Stadium.

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