- Jude Bellingham handed a two-match La Liga ban after red card for dissent.
- Real Madrid to appeal decision, claiming a misunderstanding with the referee.
- Los Blancos remain winless in three league games as Barcelona tops the table on goal difference.
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham has been handed a two-match La Liga suspension following his red card for dissent during the club’s 1-1 draw against Osasuna on Saturday.
The decision was confirmed on Wednesday by the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee.
The England international, who argued that his reaction was one of frustration rather than an insult to referee José Munuera Montero, will now miss crucial league fixtures against Girona on February 23 and Real Betis on March 2.
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Madrid’s appeal to overturn the ban was rejected, with the committee ruling that the club’s evidence was “insufficient” to disprove the referee’s account. Bellingham maintains that his words were misunderstood.
“I remember the incident very well. It was an expression directed at myself, not the referee,” the 21-year-old explained. “But unfortunately, he believed I was addressing him.”
A Real Madrid source told AFP that the club will continue to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, referee Munuera Montero has been subjected to online abuse and threats following the incident—condemned as “repulsive” by the federation.
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Tensions between Real Madrid and Spanish refereeing authorities have escalated in recent weeks. The club recently sent a letter to the federation, publicly accusing officiating standards of being “rigged.”
Los Blancos are currently struggling for form, failing to win any of their last three league matches, allowing Barcelona to move ahead on goal difference at the top of the table.
