LaLiga will consult a lip-reader before deciding whether or not to take the case of Jude Bellingham's alleged insult at Mason Greenwood any further.
LaLiga has no power to sanction players so if experts confirm 'indisputably' that Bellingham called Greenwood a 'rapist' during Getafe's match with Real Madrid on Thursday they will pass the matter to the disciplinary committee of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Sportsmail understands the process will not be quick with the consultation, and then the deliberations of RFEF, taking a matter of weeks rather than days.
An expert lip-reader hired by Mail Sport said he was '97 per cent confident' Bellingham did mouth the word 'rapist' after studying video footage of the incident.
Thursday's clash saw Bellingham land a crunching tackle on the Getafe player to force the ball out of play, and when footage of the incident circulated on social media, fans believe they noticed the England international mutter the word 'rapist' at the forward.
The two English players saw out their first meeting of the season following Greenwood's move to LaLiga side Getafe in September of last year and Bellingham's signing with Real Madrid in June.
The 22-year-old forward mutually agreed to leave former side Manchester United on loan following the conclusion of an internal investigation into the player's conduct.
Greenwood had previously been charged with attempted rape, assault, and coercive behaviour in January 2022 but charges were dropped on February 2023 by the Crown Prosecution Service following the withdrawal of key witnesses.
In his analysis of the clip, expert witness and forensic lip-reader Jeremy Freeman exclusively told Mail Sport: 'After carefully analysing the clip, I am 97 per cent confident that the spoken word is 'rapist', particularly when considering the context in which it was used.
'The visual cues of the lips indicate the presence of the 'R' and 'P' sounds, and the word appears to end sharply.
'Additionally, the speaker seems to have a pronounced Brummie accent, which I factored into my interpretation,' Freeman added.
'Given the clarity of these visual markers and the absence of any viable alternative interpretation, I am quite certain of this conclusion.'
In the aftermath of the clip's circulation on social media, Getafe have decided to take action, asking the game's referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea to record the alleged insult in his match report.
Doing so could yet subject Bellingham to a disciplinary procedure from the Spanish football federation (RFEF), although without audio, it could be a hard case to prove.
Getafe have also reported the incident to the LaLiga deligate present at Estadio Coliseum to record the alleged insult, although the club has not levelled a formal complaint at Bellingham.