Jude Bellingham has addressed the controversy surrounding his red card during Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw against Osasuna on Saturday, stating that a “miscommunication” with referee José Luis Munuera led to his dismissal.
The England international was shown a straight red card in the 40th minute after appearing to express frustration over a refereeing decision.
Following a brief exchange between Bellingham and Munuera, the official opted to send the midfielder off, leaving Madrid with ten men for the remainder of the game.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti had already received a yellow card earlier in the match for protesting an alleged handball by an Osasuna defender inside the box—an incident that went unpunished.
At the time of Bellingham’s red card, Los Blancos were leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from Kylian Mbappé. However, Osasuna’s Ante Budimir converted a second-half penalty to secure a draw.
Bellingham: “It Was a Miscommunication”
Speaking to reporters after the match, Bellingham insisted that the referee misunderstood his words.
“It’s clear that he made a mistake—there was a miscommunication,” Bellingham stated.
“I remember the incident very well, and I’ve also seen the video. The footage doesn’t match the referee’s report.
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I don’t want to go into too much detail about what was said, but it was just an expression, like ‘joder’ in Spanish.”
The midfielder also emphasized that he never intended to put his team at a disadvantage.
“I want my teammates and the fans to know that I wasn’t irresponsible enough to leave us with ten men on purpose.
I hope the footage is reviewed because the evidence speaks for itself. We can’t change this result, but I’d like to believe this will lead to better decisions in the future.”
Ancelotti Supports Bellingham: “The Referee Misunderstood”
Carlo Ancelotti also weighed in on the controversy, suggesting that Munuera misinterpreted Bellingham’s words.
“I think the referee didn’t understand English well,” Ancelotti said in his post-match press conference. “Bellingham said ‘f— off,’ not ‘f— you.’ In Spanish, that would be like saying ‘no me jodas.’ I don’t think it’s offensive.”
When asked whether he would speak with Bellingham about the incident, Ancelotti made his stance clear:
“I’d rather talk to the referee, not Bellingham. He was just protesting a decision, saying, ‘If that’s a foul, then it’s a penalty.’ Then he said ‘f— off.’
The referee overreacted. Bellingham didn’t deserve to be sent off today—it was simply a translation mistake.”
What’s Next for Bellingham and Real Madrid?
With Bellingham’s suspension now looming, Real Madrid may look to appeal the decision based on video evidence. As the La Liga title race heats up, every point matters for Los Blancos, making this incident even more significant.
The club and its fans will now await further developments, hoping that league officials will take a closer look at the controversial call.
