Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has been banned for two matches after being sent off for dissent in the match against Osasuna.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has been handed a two-match La Liga suspension by the Spanish football federation's disciplinary committee. The 21-year-old England international was given his marching orders during Real Madrid's
1-1 draw against Osasuna on Saturday after being deemed guilty of dissent.
Bellingham's dismissal was made by referee Jose Munuera Montero, who reported the incident to the disciplinary committee. As a result, Bellingham will miss Real Madrid's upcoming league matches against Girona on February 23 and Real Betis on March 2.
The disciplinary committee reviewed Real Madrid's attempts to clear Bellingham's name, but ultimately deemed the evidence “insufficient” to overturn the referee's report. The committee's decision was based on the presumption that the referee's account of the incident was accurate.
Bellingham had previously claimed that his dismissal was the result of a misunderstanding, stating that he was simply expressing frustration and not insulting the referee. However, the disciplinary committee's ruling has upheld the original decision, resulting in Bellingham's two-match ban.
Jude Bellingham has spoken out about the incident that led to his dismissal, claiming that he was not directing any insults towards the referee. “I think you can see clearly in the video, I remember the incident very well, it was an expression (I was saying) to myself,” he explained. “I'm not even directing myself towards the referee, but obviously there was a misunderstanding. He's believed that I've said (something insulting) to him.”
A Real Madrid source has revealed that the club intends to appeal the decision, which has resulted in Bellingham's two-match ban. Meanwhile, referee Jose Munuera Montero has faced a barrage of online abuse and threats in the aftermath of the incident, which the federation has condemned as “repulsive.”
The controversy surrounding Bellingham's dismissal has added fuel to the fire in
Real Madrid's ongoing criticism of Spanish refereeing. In recent weeks, the club has accused refereeing of being “
rigged” in a letter sent to the federation and published on their website. The timing of this criticism is particularly pertinent, given that Real Madrid has not won in its last three league games and now trails Barcelona at the top of the table on goal difference.
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