Real Madrid’s star Jude Bellingham was hit with a two-match La Liga ban on Wednesday by the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee after he was sent off for dissent.
Referee Jose Munuera Montero dismissed the England international during the champions’ 1–1 draw at Osasuna on Saturday.
Bellingham, who said he was expressing displeasure rather than disrespecting the referee, will miss league matches against Girona and Real Betis on February 23 and March 2, respectively.
The disciplinary committee ruled that Madrid’s efforts to demonstrate that Bellingham had not insulted the official were “insufficient” to undermine “the presumption of veracity of the referee’s report”.
Bellingham said his firing was due to a misunderstanding.
“I think you can see clearly in the video, that I remember the incident very well, it was an expression (I was saying) to myself,” said the 21-year-old.
“I’m not even directing myself towards the referee, but obviously there was a misunderstanding. He’s believed that I’ve said (something insulting) to him.”
A Real Madrid insider informed AFP that the club will appeal the decision.
Referee Munuera Montero has received online criticism and threats in the days following Bellingham’s dismissal, which the federation termed as “repulsive”.
Real Madrid has recently slammed Spanish refereeing, describing it as “rigged” in a letter to the federation and published on their website.
Los Blancos have not won in their last three league games, and rivals Barcelona now top the table by goal difference.
