Ancelotti pleads Bellingham’s innocence after Real Madrid star sent off for swearing at referee

Carlo Ancelotti was furious at the decision to send Jude Bellingham off against Osasuna for dissent on Saturday.

Real Madrid were left frustrated as they dropped points again, with Bellingham’s controversial red card proving to be the game’s major talking point.

Los Blancos had taken an early lead but struggled to find a second goal, despite having three strong penalty appeals turned down by the referee.

Their frustration boiled over in the 39th minute when Bellingham was shown a straight red card for reportedly shouting “f*ck you” at the referee as Real Madrid were about to take a goal kick.

The decision shocked fans and players alike, with manager Carlo Ancelotti later shedding light on what led to the dismissal.

Speaking after the match, Ancelotti explained: “I think the referee did not understand Jude Bellingham’s English. He said f*ck off, not f*ck you… that’s way different.

“I won’t talk more about the referee as I want to be on the bench next week.”

🚨🚨Jude Bellingham: “I said the words to myself (F*ck off), not to referee, I already turned away. It’s difficult when the referee says I insulted him, when I clearly didn’t. I am glad the videos are out as evidence, which goes against the match report.” pic.twitter.com/nOFhilez9w

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) February 15, 2025

Bellingham himself echoed his manager’s sentiments, insisting that a misunderstanding played a key role in his sending-off. He maintained that his words were not intended as an insult.

“I didn’t say anything bad to the referee,” Bellingham clarified. “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.”

Despite holding onto their 1-0 lead until half-time, Madrid’s numerical disadvantage proved costly in the second half.

Osasuna were awarded a penalty in the 58th minute after Eduardo Camavinga’s late challenge, and Ante Budimir converted from the spot to make it 1-1.

The visitors were unable to restore their advantage, settling for a frustrating draw that allowed title rivals Atletico Madrid and Barcelona a chance to close the gap.

After the match, Bellingham issued an apology – not to the referee, but to his team-mates for putting them in a difficult position.

“I’m here to apologise with my team-mates as I put them in a difficult situation today,” he admitted.

“I never insulted the referee, I’m glad to see there are the videos to show the reality despite the referee’s report.”

With the title race heating up, Real Madrid will be hoping to put this controversy behind them and get back to winning ways in their huge Champions League return leg against Manchester City.