On the ground, Kylian Mbappé was not really impacted by the enormous controversy he sparked in China the day after the Ballon d’Or ceremony, after having qualified – without mentioning him – Mao Zedong a “dictator”. Scorer against Racing Santander and against AEK Athens, the Merengue number 10 seems to be playing as if nothing had happened. Behind the scenes, it’s a whole different story. Shaken by the controversy and by the decision of the Chinese channel CCTV to suspend the broadcast of Spanish championship matches, LaLiga is working to preserve its golden contract with the Middle Kingdom.
As a reminder, the body receives 900 million euros per year thanks to its international rights, and China undoubtedly represents an important part of this contract. Real Madrid and its 97 million supporters registered in the country are also playing big. As proof, Casa Blanca had published a press release to apologize. Having become persona non grata in China, where his accounts on local social networks have been blocked, Mbappé will take some time before becoming popular again with the Asian giant.
China has not yet digested
However, the situation seems to have evolved. Present at the Salamanca Forum, the Chinese ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, told the agency EFE that discussions were underway with LaLiga and Real Madrid, among others. “There are no negotiations, but exchanges, based on mutual understanding. This unfortunate incident has offended the sensibilities of many people in China, who must now digest the current situation. »
According to the Spanish press agency, the diplomat was nevertheless confident about the resolution of the conflict within a framework of“interactions based on mutual respect”. Attached to the Chinese embassy in Spain and also present in Salamanca, Xie Tianyu however made it clear that everything will not be resolved quickly. “It takes time, the Chinese people need time to digest all this, it is not an easy subject for them, and it is a club which has many supporters and which is very appreciated in China. » Will the love of Real Madrid end up triumphing over the controversy?
