In the latest chapter in the ongoing battle between Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain, Russian midfielder Arturo Vidal was sent off for a foul on Kylian Mbappe during their Ligue 1 match at the Stade Louis II.
The incident occurred in the second half when Vidal appeared to trip Mbappe as he tried to run onto a pass from Thiago Silva. The Frenchman went down in pain but referee Anthony Barthez awarded a free-kick instead of giving him a penalty.
However, it was the result of the foul that caught the eye rather than the decision itself. As Vidal walked off the pitch, he turned his head towards the stands and appeared to be pointing at something before heading back into the game. It is believed that this was a reference to the recent controversy involving Golovin's attack on Monaco's defender Benjamin Mendy.
As it turns out, Golovin has been the subject of criticism in recent weeks following his controversial tackle on Mendy. The Russian midfielder was shown a red card by the referee after the incident and has since been banned from playing for Russia until September 2024.
While the incident with Mbappe may not have resulted in any further punishment, it has certainly added fuel to the fire surrounding Golovin's actions. With the World Cup coming up later this year, it will be interesting to see how the situation develops and whether or not the Russian midfielder can redeem himself in the eyes of his team-mates and fans alike.