Bellingham refutes claims of disrespecting referee following expensive red card dismissal

Jude Bellingham, the 21-year-old midfielder for Real Madrid, has described his red card for dissent received on Saturday against Osasuna as a “misunderstanding,” insisting he did not insult the referee.

The England international was sent off in the 39th minute during Madrid’s 1-1 draw at El Sadar after a verbal exchange with referee Jose Munuera Montero, who subsequently brandished the red card.

Bellingham stated that his comments were an expression of general frustration rather than a personal attack on the official.

“You can clearly see in the video; I recall the incident very well, and my remarks were directed towards myself,” the young midfielder explained.

“I wasn’t even addressing the referee directly, but evidently, a misunderstanding occurred. He interpreted my comment as something disrespectful…”

“There was no intention to offend; there was simply no insult, and that’s why I believe a misunderstanding took place.”

In recent weeks, Real Madrid has been vocal about their discontent with officiating in Spain, even sending a letter to the Spanish football federation labelling it “rigged.”

Bellingham expressed hope that video evidence of his comments could assist in preventing a lengthy suspension.

In his match report, Munuera Montero noted that Bellingham appeared to have insulted him.

“It’s challenging when a referee is unsure and determines that I said something I didn’t, which ultimately affects the team,” Bellingham remarked.

“I want to assure the team that I was not irresponsible enough to put them in the situation of playing with ten men; however, being involved in the incident does lead to that outcome.”

“I hope the footage will be scrutinised and will show that it differs from the report. Going forward, I trust that the federation will take this into account as it is significant evidence.”

Following the incident, Bellingham stated he felt clear in his conscience.

“The reasoning in the report as to why I was sent off does not align with what I’ve conveyed,” he added.

“I remain calm regarding the situation, knowing I wasn’t wrong for expressing something I’ve been saying to myself since I was around 16 or 17 years old, whether right or wrong.”

This was Bellingham’s second red card for Real Madrid since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2023, with the first occurring last March after confronting referee Jesus Gil Manzano following a 2-2 league stalemate against Valencia.

“The one last year was a bit trickier… I definitely put myself in a compromised position,” Bellingham added.

The draw left Real Madrid with a two-point lead over second-placed Atletico prior to their clash with Celta later on Saturday but marked Los Blancos’ third consecutive league match without a victory.