Jude Bellingham has reiterated his claim that his red card in Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Osasuna was the result of a misunderstanding.
Late in the first half, Bellingham was left shocked when he received a straight red card after protesting to the referee. Manager Carlo Ancelotti later clarified that Bellingham was accused of saying “fk you” to the official, though Ancelotti stressed, “He said ‘fk off’, not ‘f**k you’… that’s way different.”
Taking to social media, Bellingham offered an apology, expressing regret for the situation. “Enough said about the misunderstanding, just wanted to apologise again for leaving my teammates in such a tough position and thank the fans for their support and understanding,” he wrote. “See you at home on Wednesday.”
Madrid now faces an anxious wait to find out what punishment La Liga will impose on Bellingham, who plans to contest the referee’s report, arguing it does not accurately reflect the incident. Under league rules, any player found guilty of “insulting, offending, or addressing the main referee, assistants, fourth official, directors or sports authorities in offensive terms” can face a suspension ranging from four to 12 matches.
In March 2024, Bellingham received a two-game ban for what was deemed an “aggressive attitude” towards an official.
Bellingham is, however, free to play in the Champions League, as any suspension would only apply to domestic competitions. This means he is expected to feature for Madrid in Wednesday’s knockout round play-off second leg against Manchester City, having scored the winner in a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory at the Etihad in their first encounter.
