The 1-1 draw between Real Madrid and Osasuna in Matchday 24 of the 2024-25 La Liga season became controversial after referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero issued a red card to star Jude Bellingham. In the aftermath, the English midfielder broke his silence, asserting, “I never insulted the referee.”
Despite taking the lead in the game, the focus shifted to the 40th minute when Bellingham confronted Munuera Montero over a foul he had committed a minute earlier. The referee then overheard Bellingham swearing, leading to the red card decision.
Munuera Montero later explained his decision in the official report, stating: “In the 40th minute, Bellingham was sent off for the following reason: For addressing me, at a short distance, with the following words: ‘F— you.'”
Following the game, Bellingham offered his side of the story. “I never insulted the referee, I’m glad to see there are the videos to show the reality despite the referee’s report. I’m here to apologize with my teammates as I put them in difficult situation today,” he said in the mixed zone.
Bellingham clarified that he had actually said “f— off” rather than the words attributed to him: “I didn’t say anything bad to the referee. It’s clear that there was a communication error. It’s an expression like Spanish one ‘joder’… and the consequence is that he left us with one less player. It’s not an insult, it was an expression for myself.”
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No official word has been given on whether Real Madrid will appeal the red card. If they don’t, Bellingham will miss the upcoming La Liga match against Girona on Sunday.
Ancelotti weighs in on Bellingham’s red card
Real Madrid players attempted to speak with Munuera Montero to defend Bellingham, claiming he had been misheard, but the referee’s decision stood firm. The drama continued as coach Carlo Ancelotti addressed the issue during his post-match press conference.
“I think the red card to Bellingham… I think the referee didn’t understand English well. He said ‘f— off,’ not ‘f— you.’ He made a mistake. The translation of ‘f— off’ in Spanish is ‘no me jodas,’ it’s not something offensive,” he said while analyzing the game and how getting one man down affected the final result.
This incident mirrors Bellingham’s first red card in his career, which came last season in a 2-2 draw against Valencia in March 2024. When asked if he had spoken to Bellingham about his behavior, Ancelotti reiterated his defense of the player:
“I would be in favor of speaking to the referee, not to Bellingham. He said ‘if this is a foul, that was a penalty, don’t mess with me.’ The red card came from the referee’s nervousness. What should I talk to Bellingham about? He didn’t do anything to be sent off, absolutely nothing, he made a mistake in the translation and that’s it,” he ended,
