On October 28th, Real Madrid issued a statement expressing their apologies regarding Mbappé's recent remarks.
The full text is as follows:
Real Madrid Football Club wishes to express its apologies for the discomfort caused to the Chinese people by the recent statements made by the club's player Kylian Mbappé.
This club always respects China, its history, culture, and people greatly. It also respects the millions of Chinese fans who love and support Real Madrid.
This club recognizes and supports the public apology made by Mbape. Mbape has expressed regret for his statements and reaffirmed his respect for the Chinese people.
Real Madrid once again reaffirms that the club is committed to practicing values of respect, inclusiveness, and mutual understanding among different cultures. It hopes to continue strengthening its friendship and deep bonds with China and the Chinese people.
Recently, Spanish La Liga player Gareth Bale caused strong dissatisfaction among Chinese fans after making inappropriate remarks about China in a French program. Following the incident, the Chinese Football Association immediately approached Real Madrid Football Club to express their concerns. CCTV completely stopped broadcasting any matches involving the Spanish La Liga and Bale. Multiple platforms imposed bans on his accounts, and several companies announced they would terminate their cooperation with him.
On the evening of October 27th, Beijing time, Mbappé made a public statement apologizing to the Chinese people for his previous remarks regarding China in an interview.
Mbappé stated in his statement that his previous response to a web image featuring himself was insufficiently considered, and he realized that the related remarks had hurt many people in China and various Chinese communities around the world. He apologized to all those who were affected, and claimed that he had no intention of offending anyone, expressing deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.
According to Spanish media outlet 'okdiario', Real Madrid previously stated that the club considered the remarks to be the personal statements of the player, and Mbappe has already made a public clarification and formal apology. The club also revealed to Western media that its Chinese sponsors understand the circumstances surrounding the matter, and there has been no change in their business relationship, which continues as normal.
