Barcelona Furious With 'Witch Hunt' Against Player After Jude Bellingham Incident

Barcelona have been left furious over what they feel is a 'witch hunt' against one of their players following an incident involving Jude Bellingham.

Real Madrid won the first El Clasico of the season, defeating the Catalans 2-1 thanks to goals from Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.

There was major controversy in the build-up to Sunday's clash at the Bernabeu, with the two teams trading digs ahead of the match.

Catalan site Mundo Deportivo report that Barcelona are angry about comments made by Real Madrid players linked to the 'Negreira' case, an ongoing sports corruption investigation involving the Catalan club.

The Spanish justice system has charged Barcelona with a 'continuous corruption offence in the form of fraud' in relation to the Negreira case.

Investigators have sought clarity over payments made to former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Josa Maria Enriquez Negreira.

Lamine Yamal and Vinicius Junior (Image: Getty)

Barcelona are accused of paying nearly €8 million to companies linked to Negreira and his associates, and have been ordered to produce the original contracts tied to those payments.

Several of Real Madrid's biggest stars have spoken out on the scandal.

Before last week's Champions League match, Thibaut Courtois said: “I think Laporta says that about the white hand because he has to say it because of the Negreira case.

"I’ve never noticed that they’ve favoured us, quite the opposite in fact. Referees are human, I don’t feel that they’ve benefited us.”

During the Clasico itself, Bellingham was captured shouting at Pedri: "Not even with Negreira!", after the Barcelona star appealed for a yellow card.

Barcelona are also frustrated with what they see as a 'witch hunt' against teenager Lamine Yamal.

It was a fiesty El Clasico in Sunday (Image: Getty)

On October 24, Yamal attended the build-up to a Kings League match, a seven a side competition launched by former defender Gerard Pique.

During the pre-match, he was asked whether streamer and Real Madrid fan Ibai Llanos' team were like Real Madrid.

Yamal responded by asking whether that meant they "steal and then complain".

The exchange contributed to a fiery match that saw two red cards, with Yamal also confronted by Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal.

Following the backlash, Barcelona cancelled a planned promotional event for OPPO, deciding it was not the correct time for Yamal to make a public appearance.

Mundo Deportivo report that the club have become frustrated, believing that Real Madrid's players are free to make comments in public, without facing repercussions.

Tensions between Spain's two biggest clubs are set to continue, with both sides already emerging as title challengers.

Xabi Alonso's Madrid side moved five points clear at the weekend, while Hansi Flick's Barcelona demonstrated their class last season as they completed a domestic treble.