Jude Bellingham claims officials 'want to make an example of me'

Jude Bellingham celebrated reaching the Champions League quarter-finals and then claimed he was being targeted by Spanish match officials because he's new to LaLiga.

The England midfielder has been banned for two games after telling referee Jesus Gil Manzano 'it was a f***ing goal' following his late cancelled out winner against Valencia on Saturday, scored just a second after the match official blew the final whistle.

Bellingham said of the red card and two-game ban: 'I didn't say anything offensive, I didn't say anything different to what my team-mates said and I think that sometimes because I'm new they want to make an example of me.

'In the end I have to be responsible for my actions and I'm not proud, but I think two matches for that is a bit ridiculous, but if it's two matches I have to take my responsibility and I'll cheer from the stands.'

Bellingham set up Vinicius Jnr for the Real Madrid goal in their 1-1 draw. Leipzig pulled a goal back but it was not enough to prevent Madrid going through 2-1 on aggregate.

He watched from the sidelines as the 14-time champions avoided extra-time, just. When Dani Olmo’s looping shot in added time hit the top of the crossbar the Santiago Bernabeu feared the worst.

Bellingham looked running on empty towards the end of the game but it was a gamble from Ancelotti with extra time still a possibility.

The 14-times tournament winners were whistled off at half time and coach Carlo Ancelotti said: 'We deserved that. We played poorly with not enough intensity. We were slow and played too many sideways passes.

'We suffered but the important thing was to reach the quarterfinals and we did it. They had nothing to lose and we played with the brake on.'

The jeers started 10 minutes short of the half time whistle as they played too slow and predictable to trouble the Germans.

Madrid saw out time despite the late scare with Olmo’s shot coming back off the bar. They went stumbling rather than striding into the last eight and Nacho admitted the were fortunate.

‘They played very well and we did not,’ said the defender. ‘It wasn’t our best night but we should be content with going through – it’s mission accomplished.’