News
China boycott extends to Real Madrid match over Mbappé remarks
iQIYI Sports is reportedly not set to show Real Madrid's Champions League game against AEK Athens, amid a row over Mbappé's comments on Mao Zedong.
FootVal Newsroom
Chinese streaming platform iQIYI Sports is reportedly not going to show Real Madrid's Champions League match against AEK Athens on Wednesday, according to RMC Sport. The decision would extend a boycott that followed a diplomatic row over comments Kylian Mbappé made about Mao Zedong.
Mbappé and Real Madrid have both apologised, but the controversy has continued to weigh on the Liga's interests in China, according to Foot Mercato. L'Équipe reports that Liga president Javier Tebas said he does not know how long the boycott will last and that the financial consequences are also being assessed.
Foot Mercato reports that the dispute has kept the Mao Zedong issue in the Chinese media, and the reports do not say whether the broadcaster's decision has been confirmed by either side. Mbappé has been at the centre of the story for about a week, according to RMC Sport.
What happens next depends on how long the boycott lasts. The Champions League match is due on Wednesday, and the reports do not say whether other Real Madrid fixtures in China are also affected.
Sources
This article is based on reports by:
- L'Équipe — Le président de la Liga Javier Tebas « ne sait pas combien de temps va durer » le boycott chinois
- Foot Mercato — «Mao est vénéré et on le respecte» : la Liga n’arrive pas à éteindre la polémique de Kylian Mbappé en Chine
- RMC Sport — Ligue des champions: le match du Real devrait aussi être boycotté en Chine après les propos de Mbappé
Written by the FootVal newsroom from the reports below, with figures from FootVal’s own database. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. · How we report