The referee’s truth to Luka Modrić after sending off Jude: “Bellingham told me…”

Referee José Luis Munuera finds himself at the centre of a major controversy following his disastrous officiating during La Liga’s Matchday 24 clash between Osasuna and Real Madrid. While Jude Bellingham’s sending-off has sparked heated debate, what the referee told Luka Modrić to justify his decision has now been revealed.

Real Madrid are fiercely protesting against what they deem to be scandalous refereeing decisions in Spain. After a highly controversial match against Espanyol Barcelona a few days ago, Carlo Ancelotti’s side endured yet another nightmare evening in Pamplona. Facing Osasuna away on Saturday for their Matchday 24 fixture, Los Blancos managed only a 1-1 draw. In a match where both Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé could have been awarded penalties—decisions that referee José Luis Munuera not only refused to give but didn’t even review—Bellingham’s expulsion has further fuelled the controversy.

The referee accuses Bellingham of insulting him

From his position on the pitch, Dani Carvajal, like most of the Madrid squad, was left completely baffled by the referee’s decision. Shortly after the game, in which several players delivered strong performances, Spanish broadcaster Movistar revealed the exchange between referee José Luis Munuera and Luka Modrić following the red card. According to footage from the Spanish channel, the referee told the Real Madrid captain that Bellingham had allegedly told him to “f*** off.” “He told me ‘f*** you’ (which in French translates to ‘va te faire foutre’),” claimed Munuera.

As reported by Movistar, Luka Modrić immediately dismissed the referee’s justification. “No! No! He didn’t say anything! He didn’t say anything!” insisted the Madrid veteran. However, Movistar also suggested that the English midfielder might have actually said “f*** off” to the referee, which could be interpreted as an insult. As seen in footage shared by Marca, Bellingham’s lips appear to form the words: “I’m speaking to you with respect—go f*** yourself.”

At present, the Madrid dressing room is completely rejecting this version of events. Marca also reports that Bellingham told his teammates at half-time that he had merely said: “If there’s a foul, then it’s a penalty.” However, the damage has already been done. As the match official, Munuera made a highly controversial decision that could have severe consequences for Real Madrid, who risk losing their top spot in La Liga this weekend should their rivals secure victories.

This marks yet another nightmarish evening for Los Blancos, who continue to protest vehemently against Spanish refereeing. In their ongoing fight to see changes within Spain’s officiating system, Real Madrid are not alone—Alavés have also publicly announced their intention to take legal action against Spanish referees.