Referee Who Sent Jude Bellingham Off Issues Statement On Conflict Of Interest Claims
The La Liga referee who has found himself at the center of a 'conflict of interest' scandal after sending off Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham has issued his own statement on the situation.
Jose Luis Munuera Montero sparked controversy when he sent Real Madrid midfielder Bellingham off during the 1-1 draw with Osasuna on Saturday afternoon.
Bellingham was shown a straight red card for dissent, but the Englishman did not appear animated when speaking to the referee. It was later claimed that Bellingham had said 'f**k you' to the referee, prompting the red card.
Munuera Montero has since been placed under investigation by the Spanish Football Federation thanks to allegations of a conflict of interest involving a company he is linked with called Talentus Sports.
MORE: Jude Bellingham Red Card Controversy Takes Twist As Referee Under Investigation
Authorities are examining whether he violated point 9.1 of the regulatory code, which prohibits individuals bound by this rule (including referees) from having secondary interests that could impede their professional responsibilities.
Jude Bellingham couldn't believe his red card 😅 pic.twitter.com/T6EvxX2O1B
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 15, 2025
Talentus Sports is a sports consultancy agency with clients like UEFA, La Liga, and several football clubs, including Atletico Madrid and Manchester City.
Taking to Instagram (via Football Espana), Munuera Montero has issued his own long statement on the matter.
The statement reads: “In recent months the excessive attack on the refereeing collective has been evidenced, on this last occasion with me being the protagonist. The company Talentus Sports Speakers, a company owned by the referee José Luis Munuera, has not invoiced any amount to any sports entity since its creation, whether clubs, federations or companies in the sports industry.
"This company, which began its activity less than a year ago, aims to enable different athletes to transfer the transversal values of sport to different organisations, through the narration of their personal experiences, as shown on its website.
“Finally, I anticipate that I will exercise the corresponding civil and criminal actions against those media that intentionally or recklessly have disseminated falsehoods or incorrect or biased information, generating irreparable damage to the professional prestige, reputation of myself and the refereeing group, as well as to my own personal privacy and that of third parties.”
The referee is not going to be considered for any La Liga or UEFA matches until the matter is resolved.
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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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