Real Madrid's star midfielder Jude Bellingham has been suspended for two LaLiga matches following a controversial red card incident during Saturday's 1-1 draw against Osasuna. The Spanish football federation's disciplinary committee upheld the decision despite protests from both the player and his club.
The England international will miss crucial league fixtures against Girona and Real Betis after being dismissed in the 39th minute at El Sadar stadium. At the time of his sending off, Real Madrid were leading 1-0.
The controversy centers around referee José Luis Munuera Montero's report, which claimed Bellingham directly insulted him by saying "f--k you." However, video evidence and testimonies from both Bellingham and coach Carlo Ancelotti suggest a different sequence of events.
According to video footage, Bellingham can be heard saying "I'm talking to you with respect" during the dispute, though he appears to later say "f--k off." The midfielder firmly defended himself after the match, stating, "It's clear that [the referee] made a mistake, there was a miscommunication. The video doesn't match the [referee's] report."
Ancelotti backed his player's version of events, suggesting a language barrier may have contributed to the misunderstanding. "I think [the referee] didn't understand English well," the Italian manager explained. "He said f--k off, not f--k you. [The referee] made a mistake... I don't think it's offensive... Bellingham didn't do anything to get sent off today."
The disciplinary committee, however, maintained their stance and imposed the punishment citing "attitudes of contempt or lack of consideration towards referees." Real Madrid has announced they will appeal the decision.
Adding another layer to the controversy, the Spanish football federation confirmed on Tuesday that it has launched an investigation into media reports suggesting referee Munuera Montero's company has business relationships with various football organizations and clubs. The referee has denied these allegations.
The incident proved costly for Real Madrid as Osasuna managed to equalize through a Budimir penalty in the second half, causing the league leaders to drop valuable points in their title campaign.
