Real Madrid has issued an apology to China over Kylian Mbappe’s controversial remarks about the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, after the Spanish football club’s initial response failed to quell anger in China.
In a statement published on its website on Wednesday, the club apologised to the Chinese people for “any discomfort” caused by the French footballer’s remarks, a day after Mbappe issued his own public apology.
The apology came after Chinese state broadcaster CCTV Sports rejected Real Madrid’s initial explanation as inadequate, suspending broadcasts of La Liga matches and removing programmes and advertisements featuring Mbappe while demanding apologies from both the club and the player.