Jude Bellingham is facing a suspension of at least four matches, with the possibility of it extending to 12. The Real Madrid star saw a straight red card in Saturday’s La Liga clash against Osasuna. The incident occurred in the 38th minute when he was seen speaking to referee Munuera Montero. Moments later, the Spanish official showed him a direct red card.
Bellingham insists he didn’t say anything that warranted a sending-off, calling it a misunderstanding. Even Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his frustration with the decision, suggesting that the referee misinterpreted Bellingham’s English.
According to Spanish outlet AS, the referee’s official match report stated that Bellingham told him, “F** you.”* The phrase is commonly considered an insult or offensive remark. However, speaking to Spanish broadcaster Movistar+ after the match, Bellingham clarified, “I said ‘F** off’ with respect to the referee.”* While the phrase can express frustration, it is often used in a dismissive rather than offensive manner.
The 21-year-old English midfielder maintains that the referee got it wrong, saying, “If you watch the footage, you’ll see I was just expressing frustration. It was a misunderstanding. I had no intention of insulting the referee. I didn’t disrespect him—he made a mistake.” Bellingham hopes the authorities will review the footage and make the right decision regarding his suspension.
At the time of Bellingham’s red card, Real Madrid was leading 1-0. However, with only ten men, they couldn’t hold onto their advantage and ended up drawing 1-1 with Osasuna, dropping crucial points in the La Liga title race.
In the post-match press conference, Ancelotti doubled down on his criticism of the referee’s decision. “From a football perspective, we started well. But then came Bellingham’s red card… The referee doesn’t understand English properly. He was told ‘F** off,’ not ‘F*** you.’ That’s where the mistake happened. ‘F*** off’ means ‘leave me alone’—it’s not an insult,”* Ancelotti argued.
The Madrid coach also suggested that poor refereeing has affected Real in their last three matches, though he was careful not to criticize too openly, likely to avoid disciplinary action. “There’s a problem. In the last three matches, things have happened that shouldn’t have. I won’t say more because I want to be on the touchline for the next game,” he added.
Real Madrid’s next match is against Girona on February 23. If the referee’s report stands, Bellingham will be suspended for that game, as well as league fixtures against Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano, along with the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg against Real Sociedad. There’s also a chance that his ban could be extended even further.
