Jude Bellingham was at the centre of controversy on Sunday after the Real Madrid midfielder was shown a straight red for dissent towards the referee.
Having gone a goal ahead against Osasuna through Kylian Mbappe’s opener, Real were reduced to ten men shortly after following a refereeing flashpoint involving Bellingham.
After being penalised for a foul midway through the second half, Bellingham approached referee Munuera Montero along with captain Luka Modric.
Having gestured and turned away from the referee, Bellingham was then swiftly called back and given his marching orders, much to the 21-year-old’s disbelief.
The referee’s report after the game suggested that Bellingham had told Montero: ‘F**k you’. The Real midfielder, however, disputed that and labelled the situation a miscommunication.
‘It’s clear that it was a mistake and there is a miscommunication,’ he told reporters post-match.
‘I remember the incident very well but I’ve also seen the video and the video doesn’t match the report.
‘I hope that the footage review can show that is not the same as the report and going forward that the federation can keep it under consideration because it’s huge evidence.
‘Obviously we can’t change the result but I think that going forward there will be a change.’
He continued: ‘There was no insult. You can see clearly in the video. I remember the incident very well. It was an expression to myself not directed towards the referee.
‘But obviously there was a misunderstanding of what he believes I said to him. It wasn’t an insult at all.’
Ancelotti, meanwhile, suggested that Bellingham’s comments may have got lost in translation.
‘He said f*** off, not ‘f*** you’ and not ‘don’t f*** with me’,’ the Italian said after the game.
‘Strange things have happened in our last three games that everyone has seen. F*** off in Spanish is not something offensive.
‘It’s like ‘No me jodas’ (a Spanish phrase which translates to ‘don’t take the p***’ or ‘don’t mess me around’).
‘I don’t feel like adding more. Everyone saw VAR came in to look at plays in their area and not in ours.’
Having gone down to ten men, Real eventually had to settle for a 1-1 draw but remain top of the table for now after Atletico Madrid also drew 1-1 with Celta Vigo.
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