Jude Bellingham will serve out a two-match ban after Real Madrid’s appeal against a red card brandished for allegedly telling a referee ‘f*** you’ was rejected.
Bellingham was dismissed during Madrid’s 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 ‘f*** off’ in anger at his own actions.
But his pleas fell on deaf ears and his suspension was today upheld by the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee, who said the club weren’t able to definitively prove Bellingham hadn’t directed his X-rated remark toward the referee.
‘Real Madrid, based on the images and the expert opinion sent, weren’t able to prove that he says “f*ck off” instead of “f*ck you”,’ the explanation read.
‘The referee report is presumed to be true & therefore the appeal fails.’
Madrid will launch another appeal over the decision with Bellingham currently banned for LaLiga matches against Girona and Real Betis over the next fortnight.
Jude Bellingham was controversially sent off during Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Osasuna
The referee showed Bellingham a straight red card after adjudging he had told him: ‘F*** you’
The official, Jose Luis Munuera Montero, has claimed he has since been subjected to threats
Carlo Ancelotti’s side had been leading Osasuna 1-0 at the time of Bellingham’s red card and they were forced to settle for a draw after Ante Budimir’s 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 ‘I’m talking to you with respect’ while disputing a decision, before he appeared to say ‘f*** off’.
‘It’s clear that [the referee] made a mistake, there was a miscommunication,’ Bellingham said. ‘I remember the incident very well, but also I’ve seen the video.
‘The video doesn’t match the [referee’s] report… I hope the footage will be reviewed.’
Ancelotti added post-match: ‘I think [the referee] didn’t understand English well.
‘[Bellingham] said f*** off, not f*** you. [The referee] made a mistake… I don’t think it’s offensive… Bellingham didn’t do anything to get sent off today.’
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 ‘attacks’ and insisted football is ‘promoting violence’.
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Jude Bellingham red card row referee claims his family have received ‘threats and attacks’
Claiming officials were now constantly at risk, he told El Partidazo: ‘Today it was my turn, but how long has the committee been suffering these attacks?
‘They are vilifying my nephews, they are attacking my nine brothers, my 80-year-old father went to mass today and… I better keep quiet.
‘What 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?
‘This is getting out of hand. What sport are we creating with football?’
