One flash of the elbow, spotted on review, has left Ethan Mbappé facing a long European wait. Lille’s young midfielder has been handed a three-match UEFA suspension after his red card in the Champions League defeat to Real Betis.
Key takeaways
- Ethan Mbappé has received a three-game ban in the Champions League.
- The Lille midfielder was dismissed during the 3-2 loss to Real Betis.
- Video review identified an elbow from Mbappé on Betis defender Natan during an altercation.
- He will be unavailable for Lille’s trip to Arsenal on 13 October.
- Mbappé will also miss matches against Galatasaray and Bodo/Glimt.
Three European fixtures without Mbappé
The punishment covers Lille’s next three Champions League outings. The first comes in London, where LOSC are due to face Arsenal on 13 October.
Bruno Genesio’s side will then host Galatasaray before travelling to Norway to take on Bodo/Glimt, with Mbappé ruled out for both fixtures.
The sanction follows the incident in Lille’s opening European match, a 3-2 defeat against Real Betis. Mbappé was shown a red card after VAR intervention during a confrontation with Brazilian centre-back Natan.
Bayern return date in sight
Provided there are no further disciplinary issues, the 18-year-old can return to European action when Bayern Munich visit the Pierre-Mauroy Stadium on 25 November.
Mbappé, the younger brother of Kylian Mbappé, will now have to watch Lille’s crucial October and November Champions League fixtures from the sidelines as the club attempt to recover from their opening defeat.
