Football essentials for 27 October: Mbappé apologises, Kvaratskhelia operated on, a reshuffled weekend

Two moments shaped this Tuesday: Kylian Mbappé publicly apologising to China, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia going under the knife in Doha. Around them, Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or keeps making noise, and Ligue 1 is rewriting its weekend ahead of Saturday’s protests.

Mbappé apologises, China stays cold

The joke about a Mao Zedong meme, made in an online interview on Monday, has already cost Mbappé two sponsors: Dongpeng and Mengniu have terminated their deals, and Chinese state television has suspended its Liga broadcasts. On Tuesday morning La Liga president Javier Tebas apologised to the Chinese people, and the Real Madrid forward followed: “That comment was clumsy,” he wrote in French, English and Chinese, before the games FC Online and PES announced they were removing his content. Our report follows the story hour by hour.

Kvaratskhelia operated on his right knee

Injured on 20 October against Barcelona in the Champions League, carried off after 59 minutes with his knee twisted, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. PSG’s statement on Tuesday announced successful surgery at the Aspetar hospital in Doha, where the Georgian now begins his rehabilitation. Such injuries usually rule a player out for six to ten months. Against Lyon, Paris had already lined up without Mendes, Dembélé, Marquinhos or Kvaratskhelia.

PSG 2-0 Lyon: the bench broke it open

At the Parc des Princes on Monday, PSG needed the bench to break the deadlock. Lucas Hernandez found Mika Godts, who set up Senny Mayulu for a crisp finish; Quentin Ndjantou then put Godts through for his first goal in Parisian colours. PSG sit top of Ligue 1. “We caused PSG more defensive problems than Barcelona and City,” replied Paulo Fonseca, in a video for L’Équipe. Our match report details the evening of the replacements.

Kane’s Ballon d’Or breaks the audience record

Harry Kane, crowned in London on Monday ahead of Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, drew a record television crowd: more than three million viewers at the moment of his crowning on La Chaîne L’Équipe, an all-time high for the ceremony. Bayern have wasted no time: a special flocking in Kane’s honour is already on sale. Among the coaches, the Spaniard Luis de la Fuente took the trophy for coach of the season.

Four fixtures moved before Saturday

Ligue 1 is planning around France’s third day of social mobilisation on Saturday 31 October. Lyon v Angers (matchday 9) moves from Saturday 8.45pm to Sunday 5.15pm at the request of the Rhône prefecture; Nice v Rennes moves forward to Friday evening; Lorient v Brest, classed as high risk, slides to Monday. In Ligue 2, Reims v Sochaux follows the same path. UEFA has also brought Rennes v Olympiacos forward from Thursday to Wednesday 4 November at 4.30pm; our report tracked the story.

Joao Pedro out for Liverpool and Manchester United

Hurt in his thigh during Friday’s training session, Chelsea striker Joao Pedro will miss “several weeks”, and Xabi Alonso refuses to put a number on it. The club’s top scorer will sit out at least Wednesday’s Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool and Saturday’s Premier League visit of Manchester United. Two fixtures where Chelsea must find another answer up front.