Mourinho defends Mbappe's China response

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has praised Kylian Mbappe and the club for their handling of a recent controversy involving the Chinese market. The France captain faced intense backlash and lost lucrative commercial deals after making comments regarding former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

Mbappe sparked intense backlash in the Chinese market after referring to Mao as a dictator, triggering significant fallout. Both the player and the club swiftly issued formal apologies this week, with the Liga forced to intervene.

League president Javier Tebas established a crisis unit and met with Chinese ambassador Yao Jing on Wednesday to address the situation. Mourinho, speaking ahead of Madrid's upcoming fixture against Racing Santander, expressed satisfaction with how the issue was managed.

Mourinho commended Mbappe and the club for their responsible actions, stating that the situation highlighted the risks of public comments. He noted that both Real Madrid and Mbappe had the 'class' to react immediately and that the club felt well represented by the player.

The financial consequences for Mbappe have been severe, with major Chinese brands such as Mengniu and Shanghai Milkground Food Tech cutting ties with the forward. Chinese state media outlet China Daily highlighted the threat to his commercial relationships and the limits of celebrity influence.

State-owned broadcaster Migu has removed Madrid's upcoming domestic match from its television schedule. Mourinho confirmed that, from a football management perspective, there is nothing further to add on the matter.

Despite the off-pitch distractions, Mourinho and his squad must refocus on their domestic campaign. Madrid are preparing to face Santander on Sunday, a match that will not be broadcast to their Chinese fanbase. The team aims to secure all three points to close the gap at the top of the table.