LONDON – Real Madrid’s growing diplomatic and commercial difficulties in China have spilt into Spanish football’s fierce rivalry with Barcelona, after remarks attributed to club president Joan Laporta circulated online suggesting the Catalan giants had no intention of becoming involved in Kylian Mbappé’s controversy.
The controversy erupted after footage emerged of Mbappé discussing an internet meme depicting his face superimposed on an image of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, whom the French international appeared to describe as a dictator.
The remarks triggered widespread criticism in China, where Mao remains a politically sensitive historical figure, prompting several major Chinese companies to terminate their commercial partnerships with the Real Madrid forward.
Mbappé subsequently apologised, acknowledging that his comments had caused offence and expressing respect for Chinese people and their history.
Real Madrid also issued a formal apology on Wednesday, seeking to contain the fallout from an incident that has threatened its commercial relationships in one of international football’s most important consumer markets.
The dispute has extended beyond individual sponsorship agreements, with Chinese state broadcaster China Media Group suspending Spanish league broadcasts, raising concerns about the financial implications for La Liga and its clubs.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has also moved to ease tensions, meeting China’s ambassador to Spain as the league attempts to protect its commercial interests.
Against that backdrop, the purported Laporta comments portray Barcelona as unwilling to assume responsibility for a controversy involving its principal domestic rival.
The unverified statement suggests that Real Madrid must manage the consequences of promoting itself as a global football powerhouse built around internationally recognised superstars.
Although the remarks remain unsubstantiated, the wider episode illustrates how football’s commercial expansion into politically sensitive markets can expose clubs and players to significant reputational and financial risks.
Sports marketing specialists have warned that international sponsorship agreements increasingly require athletes to navigate cultural and political sensitivities beyond the football pitch.
For Real Madrid, the immediate challenge is to restore confidence among Chinese supporters and commercial partners while protecting Mbappé’s global brand.
Barcelona, meanwhile, has not been shown to have taken an official position on the controversy through the remarks attributed to Laporta.
The episode demonstrates that football’s biggest rivalries increasingly extend beyond sporting competition into global branding, broadcasting rights and the economic consequences of celebrity influence.
