By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

Kylian Mbappe’s glittering start to life at Real Madrid took an unexpected turn on Sunday night as the French superstar received his first red card in Spanish football during a tense La Liga clash against Alaves.

The moment of controversy came in the 38th minute when Mbappe, perhaps frustrated by a tight game despite his team’s 1-0 lead, launched into a reckless, studs-up challenge on Antonio Blanco, ironically a product of Madrid’s own academy and now a key figure at Alaves.

The referee wasted no time showing a straight red, leaving the Spanish champions with ten men for more than half the match.

Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid amid huge fanfare last summer, had until now managed to steer clear of disciplinary drama.

The sending-off marks a rare blemish in an otherwise stellar debut season, where he has already scored 22 goals in La Liga, leading the club’s scoring chart.

Eduardo Camavinga’s early goal had given Madrid the lead, but Mbappe’s dismissal visibly shifted the momentum.

Alaves, emboldened by the numerical advantage, pushed forward relentlessly in search of an equaliser, though Madrid’s defence held firm.

The incident couldn’t have come at a worse time for Los Blancos, who are desperately trying to catch up with arch-rivals Barcelona.

The Catalan side stretched their lead to seven points on Saturday following a hard-fought 1-0 win over Leganes, placing added pressure on Madrid to stay in contention.

Mbappe’s suspension will be a significant blow for Carlo Ancelotti’s side as they prepare for a string of critical fixtures.

With the title race tightening and tensions rising, Real Madrid must now regroup quickly, without their most potent weapon.

Sunday’s red card serves as a stark reminder that even superstars are not immune to the emotional intensity of La Liga, especially when titles are on the line.