RFEF issue statement supporting referee against Real Madrid attacks after Jude Bellingham red card

Bellingham was shown a straight red card in the 39th minute after protesting against officiating decisions that went against Real Madrid. He was visibly frustrated and approached the referee, gesturing toward different areas of the field while questioning the decisions. According to footage from Spanish broadcaster Movistar, Munuera Montero instructed Bellingham to speak with respect.

"I am speaking to you with respect," Bellingham responded, before appearing to say "f*ck you" as he turned away. The referee immediately ran over and produced a red card, sending the midfielder off.

Bellingham’s controversial sending-off only added to Real Madrid’s growing frustration with refereeing decisions in recent weeks. The club had already expressed dissatisfaction with officiating in previous matches, particularly in games against Espanyol and Atletico Madrid, where questionable calls saw them drop valuable points in the title race to Barcelona.

The Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), under the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), issued a statement strongly condemning the online abuse and threats directed at Montero and his family following the match.

It read: "The professional referees wish to express our absolute rejection of the attacks and threats that our colleague José Luis Munuera Montero is receiving through social media, which affect him personally as well as his family environment.

"These attacks add to the hate and verbal violence with which we have to perform our professional work every weekend and which in the grassroots categories often turns into, even more regrettably, physical violence in many more cases."

Bellingham’s red card is not the first time a player has been dismissed for dissent toward a referee in Spanish football. Back in October 2019, former Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele received a red card for telling referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz: “You’re very bad.” Even then, Lionel Messi tried to defend his team-mate, arguing that Dembele’s Spanish was limited and that he did not fully understand what he was saying. Despite this, the French winger was handed a two-match suspension, which remained unchanged even after Barcelona’s appeal.

On Monday, Real Madrid officials met with the CTA at the RFEF headquarters, seeking clarification over recent refereeing decisions, particularly concerning their match against Espanyol. Following the meeting, CTA president Luis Medina Cantalejo described the discussions as "cordial and transparent," adding that the refereeing body is always open to explaining their decisions to clubs. Despite this, tensions between Madrid and the Spanish refereeing body remain high, as the club continues to feel aggrieved by controversial calls in their recent matches.