Bellingham is sent off: misunderstanding or wrong decision?

A shocking event caused excitement in the Spanish Primera Division over the weekend: Real Madrid midfield star Jude Bellingham was sent off in the 39th minute of the game against CF Osasuna with a red card from referee José Luis Munuera Montero. The reason? A supposedly offensive comment that the referee is said to have misunderstood. When asked what exactly Bellingham said, Ancelotti explained that the player spoke to him with respect, but the misunderstood phrase "fuck off" led to his expulsion. In his defense, Bellingham emphasized that he had not addressed the referee directly and had used the word in a personal dialogue.

“At some point the midfield star apparently made such a bad tone that the referee was forced to throw a light box,” reported REAL TOTAL. In fact, the incident is significant not only for Bellingham himself, but also for his team, as Real Madrid had to operate outnumbered for a half. The red card was noted in the match report as a decision that may have been based on a misunderstanding - Munuera Montero had written "Fuck you" instead of the actual expression used by Bellingham, opening up the possibility of an appeal by Real Madrid. After the game, Ancelotti emphasized that Bellingham “did nothing to get sent off.”

Referee errors in focus

The incident is not the first of its kind this season. There have also been controversial referee decisions in previous games. Two weeks ago, Espanyol's winning goalscorer Carlos Romero was not sent off, even though he attempted a serious foul on Kylian Mbappé. In addition, a regular goal from Vinícius Júnior was canceled. Now Real and Bellingham must prepare for the challenge ahead without the player, who will miss the game against Girona FC on Sunday February 25, 2025 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. While the reality of a potential appeal hangs in the air, the entire situation has shone a light of public debate on refereeing decisions and their impact.