DEPORTIVO ALAVES star Abdel Abqar was substituted at half-time after asking Kylian Mbappe for his shirt.
The underdogs went in at the break 2-0 down to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Mbappe, 25, scored five minutes before half-time to take his Real tally to seven goals from nine appearances.
As he walked off the pitch at the end of the first half, the Frenchman was asked by his shirt by Moroccan international Abqar.
Madrid’s star summer arrival duly obliged, taking his shirt off on the spot and giving it to his opponent.
Abqar, 25, got his wish – but did not emerge for the second half.
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With his gesture having been spotted by fans watching on at home, it was speculated that Abqar may have been hooked as a disciplinary measure.
But after the game, Alaves coach Luis Garcia denied that this was the case.
Asked about the incident, he said: “I don’t know what he did.
“I wanted to change something because I wanted to work on something, a little tactical thing.
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“I don’t know if he asked for the jersey, I have no idea.
“He came out because I wanted to replace him and that’s it.”
Abqar was replaced by Jon Guridi for the start of the second half.
But the switch didn’t have an immediate positive effect, with Rodrygo making it 3-0 in the 48th minute.
Alaves did eventually come back into the game, however, with goals by Carlos Benavidez and Kike Garcia giving Carlo Ancelotti’s men a late scare.
The Italian boss had been forced to substitute Mbappe with 10 minutes remaining, after the Frenchman felt an issue in his thigh.
Mbappe is set to be out for at least three weeks, and faces a battle to be fit in time for his first El Clasico on October 26.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
