Jude Bellingham will serve out a two-match ban after Real Madridâs appeal against a red card brandished for allegedly telling a referee âf*** youâ was rejected.
Bellingham was dismissed during Madridâs 1-1 draw with Osasuna last weekend after Juan Luis Munuera Montero adjudged he had been sworn at. The midfielder looked to defend himself by arguing he had said âf*** offâ in anger at his own actions.
But his pleas fell on deaf ears and his suspension was today upheld by the Spanish football federationâs disciplinary committee, who said the club werenât able to definitively prove Bellingham hadnât directed his X-rated remark toward the referee.
âReal Madrid, based on the images and the expert opinion sent, werenât able to prove that he says âf*ck offâ instead of âf*ck youâ,â the explanation read.
âThe referee report is presumed to be true & therefore the appeal fails.â
Madrid will launch another appeal over the decision with Bellingham currently banned for LaLiga matches against Girona and Real Betis over the next fortnight.Â
Jude Bellingham was controversially sent off during Real Madridâs 1-1 draw with Osasuna
The referee showed Bellingham a straight red card after adjudging he had told him: âF*** youâ
The official, Jose Luis Munuera Montero, has claimed he has since been subjected to threats
Carlo Ancelottiâs side had been leading Osasuna 1-0 at the time of Bellinghamâs red card and they were forced to settle for a draw after Ante Budimirâs second-half penalty, costly dropped points in a three-way title fight in the Spanish top-flight.
Video footage of the incident showed Bellingham telling Munuera âIâm talking to you with respectâ while disputing a decision, before he appeared to say âf*** offâ.
âItâs clear that [the referee] made a mistake, there was a miscommunication,â Bellingham said. âI remember the incident very well, but also Iâve seen the video.Â
âThe video doesnât match the [refereeâs] report⌠I hope the footage will be reviewed.â
Ancelotti added post-match: âI think [the referee] didnât understand English well.
â[Bellingham] said f*** off, not f*** you. [The referee] made a mistake⌠I donât think itâs offensive⌠Bellingham didnât do anything to get sent off today.â
Carlo Ancelotti believes the referee made a costly mistake and pointed to a language barrier
Explosive reports in Spain have claimed Madrid have considered quitting LaLiga in the face of the latest officiating storm, feeling the sending off was only the most recent of a slew of decisions to have gone against them so far this season.
The referee at the heart of the row, meanwhile, has said his family have been targeted with threats and âattacksâ and insisted football is âpromoting violenceâ.Â
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Jude Bellingham red card row referee claims his family have received âthreats and attacksâ
Claiming officials were now constantly at risk, he told El Partidazo: âToday it was my turn, but how long has the committee been suffering these attacks?Â
âThey are vilifying my nephews, they are attacking my nine brothers, my 80-year-old father went to mass today and⌠I better keep quiet.Â
âWhat are we creating? How can we show in a newspaper the barbarities that we are saying? Are we crazy? Are we controlling violence or promoting it?Â
âThis is getting out of hand. What sport are we creating with football?â
