Jude Bellingham Faces Up to 12-Match Ban for Alleged Referee Insult
Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, could face a suspension of up to 12 matches for a comment he made about the referee, which led to him receiving a straight red card in the 1-1 draw against Osasuna.
According to the regulations of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, insults or inappropriate behavior towards referees or sporting officials are punishable by a ban ranging from 4 to 12 matches, unless the violation is deemed to be more serious.
After the match, Bellingham clarified that he did not intend to insult the referee: "It’s just a common expression, like the Spanish ‘joder’. The referee misunderstood me, and that’s why we were reduced to 10 men. It wasn’t an insult."
If the incident is considered a serious violation, Bellingham could miss the Copa del Rey semi-final and key La Liga matches. However, if his words are classified as "disrespect," the suspension would likely be between 2 and 3 games. Real Madrid is reportedly planning to appeal the referee's decision.
