February 20 – Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has been banned for two domestic games for “disrespect” to the referee who sent him off at Osasuna, but avoided a longer ban for allegedly swearing at the official.
Madrid will appeal the decision that sees the England international suspended for the LaLiga games against Girona and Real Betis.
Although Bellingham and his boss, Carlo Ancelotti, said the official had been mistaken, the Spanish FA’s (RFEF) Disciplinary Committee did not agree and imposed the punishment for “attitudes of contempt or lack of consideration towards referees.”
Referee José Luis Munuera Montero dismissed Bellingham in the 39th minute of the Osasuna match with Madrid leading 1-0, the official stating in his report that the midfielder had insulted him, saying: “F–k you.”
Osasuna then levelled in the second half with a Budimir penalty, as Madrid dropped two points in the LaLiga title race.
Video footage showed Bellingham saying “I’m talking to you with respect” to Munuera Montero while disputing a decision, before appearing to say: “F–k off.”
The England midfielder admitted he had sworn, but stressed it wasn’t aimed at Munuera Montero. “He believed that I said [something insulting] to him,” said Bellingham. “There was no intent to insult him, there was no insult, and for that reason I think you can see there was a misunderstanding.
“I said the words to myself (F**k off), not to the referee. I had already turned away. It’s difficult when the referee says I insulted him when I clearly didn’t.”
Real have been engaged in a constant feud with officials this season, leading the normally mind-mannered Ancelotti to comment: “It’s been three games where we have been harmed by some decisions that we still don’t understand.”
Bellingham’s sending-off being rescinded means he avoids the possibility of a lengthy ban.
“I think [the referee] didn’t understand English well,” Ancelotti said. “[Bellingham] 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.”
Separately, Munuera Montero has denounced what he calls a “false accusation” by local media that has led to him being temporarily sidelined by the Spanish FA.
He will not referee another game until the federation concludes its analysis of a report by online newspaper El Español that alleged Munuera Montero had business relations with “officials” in the Spanish league.
Since the Osasuna incident, Munuera Montero has received fearful abuse on social media, while his family have also been targeted, prompting the RFEF to condemn the perpetrators.
“The professional referees are absolutely repulsed by the attacks and threats that our colleague, Jose Luis Munuera Montero, is receiving through social networks,” the RFEF said in a statement.
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