Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti did not hide away from the fact that his side will “need” Kylian Mbappe if they are to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
A bitterly disappointing 3-0 defeat away at Arsenal in the quarter-final first leg has the reigning champions teetering on the brink of elimination, with anything less than a comeback of Corner Taken Quickly proportions almost certain to see them dumped out of the competition.
Ancelotti needs his strongest side to muster up another dose of Bernabeu magic and he is able to call upon star striker Mbappe, who has been in the headlines for unwanted reasons this week following his red card for an objectively horrible challenge in the 1-0 win over Alaves at the weekend.
A suspension has been handed out but, unfortunately for Arsenal, Mbappe remains free to aid Madrid in their quest for one of the most famous turnarounds in European history.
Madrid fans can be thankful that Mbappe saved his gruesome challenge for La Liga action and not for the first leg, and that’s because domestic suspensions do not carry over into European action.
Had Mbappe been sent off against Arsenal, he would have been banned for the return fixture. Instead, he is free to play here and will only have to worry about his punishment after the final whistle.
Despite calls for a ten-game suspension, Mbappe soon discovered he could not face anything worse than a ban of three games after referee Cesar Soto Grado described the incident simply as a poor challenge, rather than an act of aggression.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) ultimately went for the minimum punishment of a one-game suspension, forcing Mbappe to the sidelines for Madrid’s next La Liga clash against Athletic Club at the weekend.
