Mbappe Suspended for Three Matches
Three players are ruled out of UEFA Champions League league phase matchday four, including Lille's Ethan Mbappe.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Soccer
Ethan Mbappe, who plays for Lille, is serving a three-match ban after an elbow on Real Betis player Natan on matchday one. Morten Hjulmand and Alessandro Bastoni are also suspended for the Champions League league phase's fourth round.
Why it matters
The suspensions remove key players from squads as the league phase continues with 36 teams competing across 18 matches on matchday four. Teams with depleted lineups face tighter competitive margins in the standings.
Ethan Mbappe's three-match ban follows a single elbow on Real Betis player Natan on matchday one. Aston Villa holds a 100% record in the competition so far, and Marlon Gomes of Shakhtar Donetsk has three yellow cards with a suspension risk.
The players
Ethan Mbappe
Mbappe is a Lille player serving a three-match Champions League ban for an elbow on Real Betis player Natan.
Morten Hjulmand
Hjulmand is a Bayern Munich midfielder whose suspension for a high challenge on Stuttgart player Angelo Stiller helps Bayern ahead of its match against Atletico Madrid.
Alessandro Bastoni
Bastoni is an Inter Milan defender dismissed for two yellow cards in 120 seconds against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Marlon Gomes
Gomes is a Shakhtar Donetsk player with three yellow cards who faces a ban if he is booked again.
The details
Mbappe was penalized for assaulting Natan, a punishment UEFA treated as a rare length. Alessandro Bastoni was dismissed after two yellow cards within 120 seconds against Shakhtar Donetsk, and he will miss the game at Feyenoord.
Timeline
Matchday one: Mbappe elbowed Natan, triggering the three-match ban.
Last month: Hjulmand was dismissed for a high challenge on Stiller.
Tuesday night: Barcelona hosts Aston Villa at Camp Nou.
27.10.2026: UEFA published the official booking list.
Season Trajectory
The league phase's expanded 36-team format makes each suspension more consequential for standings, since every match counts toward qualification. Aston Villa's unbeaten start in the competition sets a benchmark that the disciplined sides must keep pace with.
Fantasy managers should remove Mbappe, Hjulmand and Bastoni from their rosters for the affected fixtures. Anyone who owns Marlon Gomes should monitor whether a further booking triggers an automatic ban.
The takeaway
Suspensions in the league phase can quickly reshape lineups, so checking the official booking list before each matchday helps readers track who is available. Discipline records are often the deciding factor when teams contest tight qualification places.
What happens next
Barcelona hosts Aston Villa at Camp Nou on Tuesday night, and Bastoni is set to miss the Feyenoord fixture.
Further reading
Follow the latest moves in the Soccer section for more on how these bans shape the league phase.
