Ethan Mbappé will pay a heavy price for his sending-off against Real Betis. The young attacking midfielder was shown a red card for elbowing Natan during Lille’s 3-2 Champions League defeat and has now been handed a three-match suspension. He will notably miss the clash with Arsenal and will not return to European action until late November.
UEFA has confirmed the punishment for the 19-year-old, suspending him for LOSC’s next three Champions League matches following the red card he received against Betis on September 8. Mbappé will therefore miss the trip to Arsenal on October 13, the home game against Galatasaray on October 21 and the visit to Bodø/Glimt on November 3. He will be eligible to return against Bayern Munich on November 25.
A Promising Night Turns into a Nightmare
The suspension brings a frustrating end to an evening that had started extremely well for Mbappé. The former PSG player had been one of Lille’s standout performers in the first half, providing the assist for Ayase Ueda’s opening goal in the 12th minute as Lille went into the break leading 2-1. But Betis hit back after half-time, with Marc Bartra equalising in the 49th minute before Troy Parrott put the Spanish side ahead four minutes later.
Moments later, Mbappé lost his composure following an altercation with Natan and elbowed the Brazilian defender in the face. The incident was initially missed by referee Georgi Kabakov, but VAR intervened. After reviewing the footage, the official showed Mbappé a straight red card in the 56th minute, leaving Lille with ten men as they tried to get back into the match.
Mbappé quickly accepted responsibility after the game and apologised on Instagram to his teammates, coaching staff and supporters, describing his behaviour as “unacceptable” and admitting that he had put his team in a very difficult position. UEFA regulations allowed for a suspension of up to five matches depending on how the incident was classified, but the governing body ultimately imposed a three-game ban. It is a major blow for both Mbappé and Lille, with the French youngster now set to make his Champions League return against Bayern Munich on November 25.
