How Cristiano Ronaldo Has Formed Part Of Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham Suspension Appeal
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has been suspended for two matches following his red card against Osasuna, and Los Blancos' appeal against the decision includes footage of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bellingham was shown a straight red card for dissent by referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero on Saturday. Munuera Montero claims Bellingham said 'f**k you,' but Bellingham claims he said 'f**k off' and that there is a major difference between the two phrases.
MORE: Referee Who Sent Jude Bellingham Off Issues Statement On Conflict Of Interest Claims
Much of the media discourse in Spain this week has been centered on the phrase, and Real Madrid has called on a former player to help in their appeal against the two-match suspension.
According to Marca, Real Madrid used the example of Cristiano Ronaldo speaking in 2018 about the phrase. Having spent time playing for Manchester United, he is viewed as a voice of authority on the topic.
🚨 Jude Bellingham will miss:
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) February 19, 2025
Girona (H)
Real Betis (A) pic.twitter.com/Y1kiZswzpm
The Spanish newspaper reports that a section of the Competition Committee's statement read:
"Finally and additionally, it is noted, on the basis of the report of the linguistic expert, the public statements from 2018 of a prestigious player such as Cristiano Ronaldo, who spent a large part of his professional career in England, and of the many professionals in the English language, that the expression 'f**k off' is of common use, among other groups, by English players on the playing fields, without this entailing any disciplinary sanction by the referees as it is not an offensive or disparaging expression."
There were fears that Bellingham's suspension would be more severe than two matches, meaning even if the appeal is unsuccessful, he will not miss as many games as seemed on the cards at one stage.
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Euan is an experienced soccer writer who has been featured by The Guardian, MARCA, 90min, Sempre Milan and many more similar publications. He secured a first-class degree in journalism at Liverpool John Moores University and his career has seen him primarily focus on European football, developing an in-depth knowledge of multiple clubs and leagues in the process.
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