La Liga chief Javier Tebas ready to travel to China as Kylian Mbappe penalty debate continues

Javier Tebas says he is prepared to travel to China to help resolve the dispute surrounding Kylian Mbappe, while also arguing that the penalty awarded to the Real Madrid forward against Racing Santander was incorrect.

The president of La Liga made the comments at the “A World in Progress” forum in Barcelona, in remarks reported by Catalan newspaper Sport.

“I would consider travelling to China if it was necessary. I offered to go there from the first day,” Tebas said.

He insisted that relations between La Liga and China remained strong despite the controversy involving Mbappe.

“We have exceptional relations,” he said. “The Chinese vice-president recently visited us in Barcelona and also visited the club’s facilities. We have very good relations with China.”

Tebas was also asked about the penalty awarded to Mbappe during Real Madrid’s match against Racing Santander. The referee pointed to the spot in the 10th minute after Mbappe went down following contact with Racing Santander defender Mateo Prati inside the area.

Tebas said the decision was not correct, adding his criticism to those directed at referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero. The incident also attracted attention because the video assistant referee did not ask the official to review the decision, despite the disagreement it caused.

Real Madrid won the match 3-0. Mbappe converted the penalty to open the scoring, Jude Bellingham added a second and Yan Diomande completed the victory.

China dispute remains unresolved

Tebas’s comments come as the consequences of Mbappe’s dispute with China continue, despite a series of apologies.

The France forward faced widespread criticism after comments about a satirical image showing his face placed on the body of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. During the interview, Mbappe referred to Mao as a Chinese dictator.

Mbappe subsequently apologised, while La Liga issued a formal apology to the Chinese people. Real Madrid later released a statement of its own in an attempt to calm the situation.

The apologies have not yet led to the return of Real Madrid matches to Chinese broadcasts. The Spanish news agency said the club’s games were still absent from Chinese state television channels and the Migu platform, which did not show the recent meeting with Racing Santander.

The dispute has also affected commercial relationships, with Chinese companies ending their partnerships with Mbappe. The development threatens the interests of both the player and La Liga in an important market for Spanish football.

The fixture information accompanying the report lists AEK Athens in the Champions League on 04 November 2026, followed by Real Madrid against Malaga in La Liga on 07 November 2026, with Racing Santander also included.