Real Madrid‘s ongoing controversy with referees in La Liga resurfaced this weekend when star midfielder Jude Bellingham received a red card for allegedly using abusive language toward referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero. In light of this, the Spanish Football Federation’s Appeals Committee has made a final ruling on the club’s appeal ahead of their next fixture against Girona.
In the official report of the 1-1 draw against Osasuna, Munuera cited Bellingham’s use of the phrase “F— you” as the reason for issuing the red card. However, Bellingham, his teammates, and the club have all disputed the decision, arguing that the player actually said “F— off” and did not direct the insult toward the referee.
Despite video evidence and statements from Real Madrid, the Appeals Committee of the Spanish Football Federation upheld the original ruling, dismissing the club’s appeal. As a result, Bellingham will serve the two-match suspension outlined in the disciplinary decision.
The committee’s decision was based on the argument that the club failed to provide sufficient evidence to challenge the referee’s account. In their statement, they concluded, “After repeated viewing of the audiovisual evidence, no unequivocal and indisputable contradiction can be deduced.”
Bellingham’s two-match suspension falls under Article 117 of the Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Code, which states: “Addressing referees, officials, or sports authorities with contemptuous or disrespectful terms or attitudes, unless the action constitutes a more serious offense, will be penalized with a suspension of two to three matches or for a period of up to one month.”
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CAS: Real Madrid’s final option
While Real Madrid’s appeal has been rejected by the Spanish Football Federation, the club still has one final option to contest the suspension: an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the international body that arbitrates disputes in the sports world.
With Real Madrid’s next La Liga match against Girona on Sunday, Bellingham is likely to miss the game due to the short time frame for any potential appeal. If the suspension is not overturned, the English midfielder will also miss the following La Liga fixture against Real Betis.
