Jude Bellingham handed ban for ref incident as UEFA make major decision ahead of Man City game
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham has finally learned of his punishment following his controversial red card in Los Blancos’ 1-1 draw against Osasuna in La Liga on September 15.
Bellingham, 21, was given his marching orders by Jose Luis Munuera Montero for a comment which was considered to be dissent.
Fans were initially baffled by the decision, which Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti shed some light on after the game.
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“I think the referee did not understand Jude Bellingham’s English," Ancelotti said, as per Fabrizio Romano. "He said f*ck off, not f*ck you… that’s way different. I won’t talk more about the referee as I want to be on the bench next week."
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) later condemned Bellingham's behaviour.
"The professional referees are absolutely repulsed by the attacks and threats that our colleague Jose Luis Munuera Montero is receiving through social networks," the RFEF said in a statement.
"These attacks add to the hatred and verbal violence through which we have to carry out our professional work every weekend, and that in the base categories becomes, even more regrettably, physical violence in many cases."
It was widely reported that Bellingham may face a 12-game ban for his actions.
On Wednesday afternoon, Spanish outlet Marca claimed that the Englishman has been handed a two-match ban, which would see him miss fixtures against Girona and Real Betis.
Montero is now under investigation by the RFEF for a potential conflict of interests according to AS.
He is said to have founded a consultancy and sports management company which has a number of clients ranging from La Liga, UEFA, RFEF and clubs like Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
The referee has been subject to abuse online, and spoke out on Tuesday.
“I was the first to see all of this hoax, these lies," Montero told COPE. "I have been an active part in clarifying this company that has been operating for a year and with which I have given four or five conferences and transmit the values of sport to young people."
"There are other types of interests that we have been suffering for a long time," he added. "I have nephews who are vilifying them, nine brothers who are harassing them, a 90-year-old father going to mass... How can we show in a newspaper the barbarities that we are saying? Do we control violence or do we promote it through all the media?
"I have spent all day without leaving home without believing what is happening and this is getting out of hand. What sport are we creating?"
Marca claimed the referee has been 'temporarily removed' from matches by UEFA.
Topics: Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham, La Liga, Carlo Ancelotti, Fabrizio Romano
Luke Davies