Breaking News: Jude Bellingham banned for using 'insulting' words against referee

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has been handed a two-match suspension following his dismissal during Saturday's La Liga clash against Osasuna.

The 21-year-old English international was shown a red card in the 40th minute after allegedly directing offensive language toward referee Manuel Munuera.

According to Munuera's match report, Bellingham was sent off for saying, "F*** you," to the official.

The report stated:

In the 40th minute, Bellingham was sent off for the following reason: for addressing me, being just a few meters away, in the following terms: 'F*** you.'

Bellingham, however, has strongly denied the allegations, claiming a miscommunication occurred.

He argued that the incident has been misinterpreted and that video evidence does not align with the referee's report. Speaking after the match, Bellingham said:

It’s clear that it was 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.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about what was said, but it was an expression like 'f***.' I hope that the footage review can show that it’s not the same as the report.

Going forward, I hope the federation can take this into consideration because the video evidence is significant.

Obviously, we can’t change the result, but I think this will lead to a change in how such incidents are handled in the future.

The two-match ban is notably lighter than the potential 12-game suspension Bellingham could have faced if the incident had been deemed a direct insult to the referee.

Real Madrid is expected to appeal the decision, though the club has yet to release an official statement on the matter.

What’s next for Bellingham and Real Madrid?

Despite the controversy, Real Madrid will shift their focus to their upcoming UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash against Manchester City.

Bellingham, who has been a key figure for Los Blancos this season, will be eager to put the incident behind him and deliver a strong performance as Madrid continues their pursuit of silverware on multiple fronts.

The appeal process is expected to unfold in the coming days, but for now, Bellingham will miss two domestic matches as Real Madrid navigates a critical phase of their season.

The club and its supporters will hope for a swift resolution to ensure their star midfielder remains available for the decisive fixtures ahead.