Tebas says LaLiga will keep talks with China after Mbappe controversy

LaLiga president Javier Tebas says he is continuing discussions with Chinese authorities as he seeks to ease tensions caused by Kylian Mbappe’s comments about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV did not show any LaLiga matches over the weekend. Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory at Racing Santander on Sunday was also absent from pay television coverage in China.

The dispute followed an interview Mbappe gave to French programme The Bridge, a clip of which has since been removed. The Real Madrid forward said he was amused by an internet meme that superimposed his face on “some guy, think he’s a Chinese dictator” – an apparent reference to Mao.

Mbappe, Real Madrid and LaLiga subsequently apologised after the remarks prompted a backlash in China. Mocking Mao, whom historians hold responsible for millions of deaths, is considered taboo in the country.

“For now, we wait and see how the situation develops... because given how events have unfolded, everything depends on things calming down a bit, on all the mess easing,” Tebas told reporters at the World in Progress forum in Barcelona.

“There will be ongoing dialogue - I'm speaking with the Chinese authorities, both in Madrid and in Beijing, and we're going to wait.”

Tebas met Chinese ambassador to Spain Yao Jing last week and pointed to the established relationship between China and Spanish football as a possible route towards resolving the dispute.

“We've had a strategy for several years now with the political and sporting authorities in China,” he said.

The LaLiga president also recalled meeting Chinese State Councillor Shen Yiqin and a senior delegation at Barcelona’s La Masia youth academy in February. Barcelona president Joan Laporta was also present.

Tebas said there were close links with China Media Group, the parent organisation of CCTV, adding that he had a strong agreement with its president, Shen Haixiong.

“With the president of China Media Group, the parent organisation of CCTV, we have a good agreement,” he said.

“He's been to LaLiga, I've met with him (Shen Haixiong). Every time I travel to Beijing, I have a meeting with him.”

China effectively severed relations with the NBA for several years from 2019 after Daryl Morey, then general manager of the Houston Rockets, posted his support for protesters in Hong Kong.

However, Tebas said he remained hopeful that the current situation involving LaLiga could be reversed.

“I'm going to travel, talk, and keep talking with the Chinese authorities,” he added.

“We'll try everything possible to normalise the situation as much as we can.”

Mbappe scored in Real Madrid’s win over Racing Santander, a result that moved them to within three points of LaLiga leaders Barcelona.