Jude Bellingham received a two-match suspension following his red card for showing dissent while playing for Real Madrid.

Jude Bellingham has been handed a two-match suspension following his controversial red card during Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw against Osasuna in LaLiga on Saturday. The incident occurred in the 39th minute when referee Jose Luis Munuera issued the red card, citing that the young midfielder had uttered the phrase “f*** you.”

The Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee upheld the referee’s decision, but Real Madrid is preparing to appeal the ruling made by the Competition Committee. This means that while Bellingham will miss two domestic matches, he remains eligible to play in the Champions League. The 21-year-old is set to feature in Wednesday’s knockout round play-off second leg against Manchester City, having scored the decisive goal in a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Etihad Stadium in the first leg.

The suspension will only affect Bellingham’s participation in domestic competitions, leaving Madrid fans relieved that their star player can still contribute on the European stage.

In the aftermath of the incident, both Bellingham and manager Carlo Ancelotti have contested the referee’s account of events. Ancelotti expressed his belief that a miscommunication had occurred, stating, “It’s clear that he made a mistake and there was a miscommunication. I remember the incident very well, but I’ve also seen the video, and the video doesn’t match the report.”

The Italian tactician further defended his player, clarifying, “I think the referee did not understand Jude Bellingham’s English. He said f*** off, not f*** you… that’s way different.”

Real Madrid supporters have been vocal about their frustrations with officiating decisions in recent matches, and the club itself has raised concerns regarding the standard of refereeing in Spain. Ancelotti noted, “In our last three games, things have happened that everybody has seen. But I don’t want to say anything more about that, because I want to be sat on the bench for the next match.”

He continued, “In the last three games, the VAR has looked at things in our penalty area, and not in the other box. There were two or three things he should have looked at, and didn’t. I think there’s a problem. In the last three games, something has happened that shouldn’t have happened. We have to keep fighting, playing well, and that’s what we’ll try to do.”

As the appeal process unfolds, all eyes will be on Bellingham and Real Madrid as they navigate the challenges ahead, both domestically and in Europe.