Ancelotti Calls Out Refereeing Controversy After Bellingham’s Red Card in Draw Against Osasuna

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti did not hold back in his criticism of officiating after his side was held to a 1-1 draw against CA Osasuna in a match overshadowed by refereeing decisions. The game, part of La Liga’s 24th round, saw midfielder Jude Bellingham receive a controversial red card, adding to the growing frustration within the Madrid camp.

Ancelotti was vocal about the incident in his post-match press conference, highlighting what he perceived as an unfair dismissal of Bellingham. “He didn’t understand English very well,” Ancelotti remarked about referee José Luis Munuera Montero. “Jude said ‘f*** off,’ not ‘f*** you.’ There’s a difference. ‘F*** off’ means ‘leave me alone,’ it’s not offensive.”

The English midfielder was sent off just before halftime, leaving Madrid a man down as they struggled to maintain their lead. Kylian Mbappé had earlier put Los Blancos ahead in the 15th minute, but Osasuna found their equalizer in the second half through a penalty awarded after a VAR review, with Eduardo Camavinga penalized for stepping on Ante Budimir’s foot inside the box. Budimir converted the spot-kick, securing a draw for Osasuna and igniting further frustration for Madrid.

Ancelotti was also shown a yellow card during the match for protesting what he believed was a missed handball in Osasuna’s penalty area. “I told the referee he needed to check the VAR,” he explained. “They must have turned it on late.”

The Madrid boss reiterated concerns about the consistency of officiating in La Liga, pointing out that VAR was used against his team but not in their favor. “Everyone has seen what has been happening in the last three games. There is a problem,” Ancelotti stated. “All we can do is continue fighting and focus on our performances.”

Real Madrid’s league lead is now under threat, with Barcelona having the opportunity to draw level on points if they win their upcoming match against Rayo Vallecano. Meanwhile, Madrid must quickly shift focus to their crucial Champions League clash against Manchester City on Wednesday, where they will look to build on their first-leg advantage.

As controversy lingers, Madrid’s frustrations with refereeing decisions continue to mount, with Ancelotti and his squad eager to move past these disputes and keep their title ambitions on track.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram / @mrancelotti, Unsplash / Manuel Nöbauer