Real Madrid lose Jude Bellingham red card appeal as ban if confirmed

Real Madrid perturbation with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the Referees Committee (CTA) will continue in tact, after a suspension for Jude Bellingham has been confirmed. Los Blancos appealed against the decision, claiming a ‘manifest error’ from the referee in his report that denoted a different curse.

In the referee’s report, Jose Luis Munuera Montero wrote that Bellingham had said ‘F*** you’ following an exchange between the two, rather than the ‘f*** off’ that cameras appeared to show. Despite the two phrases not differing greatly in meaning, Los Blancos argued that the latter was a general expression of frustration rather than one used disrespectfully at the referee.

Had it been classified as a direct insult, then Bellingham would have faced a ban of four to twelve games, and as it was merely ‘disrespectful’, the England international was only at risk of a two to four game ban. He received the minimum sanction.

Despite Real Madrid’s defence, which included testimony from a lip-reader and a Spanish expert in the English language, the Competition Committee saw no reason to scrap his punishment. Diario AS report he will miss Los Blancos’ upcoming La Liga clashes against Girona (H) and Real Betis (A) as a result.

While Bellingham will be available for their Copa del Rey semi-final next week against Real Sociedad, he will miss three of their next four games, as his yellow card on Wednesday earned him a European suspension too. That will keep him out of their Champions League first leg clash with Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. He will then be back in action for their tie with Rayo Vallecano and the return leg, as will as a clash with Villarreal at La Ceramica before the March international break. Recently it has been reported that Carlo Ancelotti is concerned about Bellingham’s disciplinary issues of late.