In a heated La Liga encounter on February 15, 2025, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham received a straight red card during the first half against Osasuna, leaving both teammates and fans in disbelief.
The incident occurred in the 39th minute, with referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero alleging that Bellingham directed offensive language towards him.
JUDE BELLINGHAM GETS A RED CARD FOR ARGUING WITH THE REF 😳 pic.twitter.com/3T2RcdtaKK
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 15, 2025
According to the official match report, Munuera Montero stated that Bellingham was sent off for saying “fk you” to him.
This claim was immediately contested by Real Madrid captain Luka Modric, who insisted that Bellingham hadn’t uttered such words.
The club argues that Bellingham’s actual words were “fk off,” a phrase they believe carries a different connotation and is less offensive.
Real Madrid plans to use video footage from Movistar+ to support their case and demonstrate that the referee may have misinterpreted the situation.
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his frustration over the decision, suggesting that the referee misunderstood Bellingham’s words due to language differences.
Ancelotti emphasized that emotions run high during matches and that such misunderstandings can occur.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Real Madrid managed to secure a 1-1 draw, with Kylian Mbappe netting the equalizer.
The match was further marred by other contentious refereeing decisions, including a penalty awarded to Osasuna after a VAR review of a foul by Eduardo Camavinga, which Ante Budimir converted into a goal.
This incident adds to a series of recent controversies involving Bellingham and referees.
In a previous match against Espanyol, Bellingham was caught on camera directing a derogatory comment towards referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero but avoided further punishment at that time.
Real Madrid is currently awaiting the disciplinary committee’s decision regarding Bellingham’s suspension.
The club hopes that by presenting the video evidence, they can reduce any potential ban and highlight the possibility of a misunderstanding during the match.
