China keeps LaLiga blackout despite apologies from Mbappé, Real Madrid and Tebas

China's state broadcaster is keeping its LaLiga blackout in place even after Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid and LaLiga president Javier Tebas all apologised for the striker's comments about a meme comparing him to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. China Media Group (CMG), which runs CCTV, said on Wednesday that the Frenchman's words had gone beyond the limits of free expression.

How it started

Asked in an interview to name his favourite meme, Mbappé said the one that amused him most put his face on that of a "Chinese dictator". He did not name Mao, but the image circulating on social media shows him. CMG says it suspended its LaLiga broadcasts on Monday 26 October, along with matches involving Mbappé and adverts featuring him, according to the EFE agency report carried by RTVE.

The fallout spread quickly. The drinks group Dongpeng and the dairy firms Mengniu and Milkground ended their commercial deals with the player, Marca reported, and Migu, a Chinese television and internet content platform with more than 400 million subscribers, removed Sunday's Racing Santander v Real Madrid from its schedule.

Three apologies

Mbappé issued a statement in French, Chinese and English on Tuesday. "My comment was unfortunate and I now understand that it has hurt many people in China," he wrote, adding: "I apologise to everyone my words may have offended. It was not my intention at all."

Tebas, who had written to CMG calling the striker's behaviour "unacceptable", posted his own apology on X and met China's ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing. "We understand the harm caused and, on behalf of LALIGA, I want to convey our sincere apologies to the Chinese people," the LaLiga president wrote. Real Madrid followed on Wednesday with an official statement: "Real Madrid C. F. wishes to apologise to the Chinese people for the discomfort that the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappé may have caused."

Not enough for CMG

The broadcaster acknowledged the letters but did not lift the suspension. Its statement said Mbappé's remarks had "crossed the limits of what is acceptable" and that, until the club presents a satisfactory apology, "there is nothing to talk about". It warned that any word or action that hurts the feelings of the Chinese people will meet collective rejection, and that Real Madrid "would do well to abandon any illusion to the contrary". LaLiga also has a strategic cooperation agreement with China's professional league that runs until 2029, Telemadrid reported.

On the pitch

Mbappé's 11 league goals put him second in LaLiga's scoring chart, two behind Barcelona's Raphinha, and Real Madrid sit third on 24 points, three behind leaders Barcelona and one behind Atlético Madrid. Their next league game is the one Chinese viewers will not see on Migu: Sunday at El Sardinero against 13th-placed Racing Santander.