Bellingham’s Osasuna Meltdown Could Cost Him 12 Matches

Jude Bellingham risks a lengthy suspension after receiving a red card against Osasuna. The Los Blancos midfielder could miss up to 12 domestic games because of the incident. Madrid failed to secure a win, drawing 1-1 with Osasuna on Saturday, February 15. Kylian Mbappé put Los Blancos ahead before Ante Budimir equalized from the penalty spot.

Despite the draw, Madrid still leads La Liga. However, Barcelona could take the top spot by winning against Rayo Vallecano.

41-year-old referee José Luis Munuera Montero sent Bellingham off for allegedly swearing at him. Bellingham insisted there was a misunderstanding. According to the referee's report, Bellingham said "f* you,"** which the official considered an insult. The England international, however, claimed it was a miscommunication.

Carlo Ancelotti defended Bellingham in a press conference. "I think the referee misunderstood because he said 'f** off,' not 'f*** you',"* the Madrid coach said. Ancelotti explained that "f** off"* is an expression rather than a direct insult. "In Spanish, it means 'don't mess with me,' not an offensive remark."

The RFEF Disciplinary Code states that insulting a referee can result in a suspension of four to 12 matches. If the authorities classify it as disrespect rather than an outright insult, the punishment could drop to two or three matches.

A full ban would sideline Bellingham for 10 La Liga games and two Copa del Rey ties, including the semi-final against Real Sociedad and league matches against Real Betis and Villarreal.

Despite the possible suspension, Bellingham remains eligible to play in the Champions League. Madrid will face Manchester City in the second leg after winning the first match 3-2.