Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: La Liga, Jude Bellingham, Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti
Ryan Smart
Topics: La Liga, Jude Bellingham, Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti
La Liga have made a major decision on referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero, according to reports, after he controversially sent off Jude Bellingham during Real Madrid's 1-1 draw with Osasuna.
Reports claimed on Monday that Real Madrid were considering whether to 'quit' the Spanish league.
It was reported by Spanish outlet SPORT that Real were considering the possibility of leaving La Liga and 'taking asylum' in one of three major European leagues - Serie A, Bundesliga or Ligue 1.
Such an extraordinary move - the like of which football has never seen - would need approval from UEFA, FIFA and La Liga itself, however.
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Los Blancos have become disillusioned with refereeing standards in La Liga - although officials have denied claims previously made by president Florentino Perez.
The discontentment reached boiling point after Jude Bellingham was controversially sent off during Real's 1-1 draw with Osasuna on Saturday.
Referee Munuera Montero believed that Bellingham said 'f**k you' directly to him - which, if proven, could see the England international receive a ban of between four and 12 matches.
The 22-year-old denied that he used the phrase, telling reporters that he instead said 'f**k off', and towards himself instead of the official.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti said in his post-match press conference: "The red card, he [the referee] didn't understand English well. 'F**k off', not 'f**k you'. That's where he made a mistake. The translation into Spanish is 'don't f**k with me'.
"Two things have happened in these last three games, that everyone has seen. I don't feel like adding more because I want to be on the bench for the next game."
Now, La Liga have made a significant decision regarding the Spanish official, it is claimed.
Relevo report that he has not been appointed to officiate any of the 10 matches during the upcoming La Liga matchweek.
The reason behind the decision is unclear, though the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) released a statement in support of Montero earlier this week.
It read: "The professional referees are absolutely repulsed by the attacks and threats that our colleague Jose Luis Munuera Montero is receiving through social networks.
"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."