Kylian Mbappé is facing potential disciplinary action after television cameras captured him directing vulgar insults at match officials during Real Madrid's 2-0 victory over Valencia at Mestalla on Saturday. The footage, broadcast live by DAZN, showed the French forward confronting the fourth official and using crude language in French after disputing an offside decision during the first half of the La Liga matchday 23 fixture.
The incident began when Mbappé was flagged offside after recovering a ball following a Valencia clearance. The 27-year-old approached the fourth official demanding an explanation, initially speaking in Spanish. When the official suggested they discuss the matter inside the tunnel at halftime, Mbappé walked away and directed a vulgar French insult at the official before heading to the dressing room.
The confrontation continued in the tunnel before the start of the second half. Mbappé pressed the official again, saying that he had been told to discuss the issue inside but was being ignored. Receiving no response, the former Paris Saint-Germain star turned to teammate Eduardo Camavinga and called the referees clowns in French, with the exchange once again picked up by broadcast microphones.
Despite the controversy, Mbappé went on to score in the first minute of stoppage time to seal the 2-0 victory, with Alvaro Carreras having opened the scoring earlier. The goal was his 23rd of the season across all competitions for Real Madrid, who continue to chase leaders Barcelona in the La Liga title race. This is not the first time Mbappé has clashed with Spanish referees, as he was also involved in a similar incident during a match against Elche in December.
The footage has gone viral on social media, reigniting debate about player conduct toward match officials in Spanish football. While no official disciplinary measures have been announced by La Liga or the Spanish Football Federation, multiple Spanish media outlets suggest that Mbappé could face a heavy sanction if the referee's report includes the insults. Real Madrid have not yet commented publicly on the incident.
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