"I was surprised by what he did," Laporta admitted during the interview. "In victory and in defeat, you have to be generous and respectful. This is sport, and you must maintain normal behaviour. I believe that we, in victory, were generous and respected the opposing team. That is why I cannot understand it."
While mutual respect has largely governed El Clasico fixtures in recent years, the temperature has risen significantly this season. Laporta alluded to lingering tension from the first league meeting of the campaign - a match won by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu - which seemingly sowed the seeds for Sunday’s petulance.
"There was a different edge since the league match, and the players were a bit stung," Laporta explained. "It's understandable. The truth is that I didn't see that specific moment of Mbappe on the pitch live, but I understand that it must have been a difficult time. They must have been really upset, and that's why they reacted that way."
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