Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe (C) and teammate Jude Bellingham (2-L) talk to referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero during a Spanish La Liga soccer match against Osasuna on Saturday in Pamplona, Spain. Photo by Villar Lopez/EPA-EFE
Feb. 19 (UPI) -- The Royal Spanish Football Federation issued a two-game ban to Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham for verbally abusing a referee, the governing body for soccer in the country announced Wednesday.
Bellingham received an immediate red card in the 38th minute of a 1-1 draw with Osasuna on Saturday in Pamplona, Spain. The federation disciplinary committee then upheld the decision, citing Bellingham's "attitudes of contempt or lack of consideration towards referees."
Video of the incident, which remains available on social media, shows Bellingham arguing with an official before appearing to use an expletive.
Bellingham cited "miscommunication" after the game and said referee Jose Luis Manuera Montero made a mistake. The star midfielder and Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti each claimed that Bellingham said "[expletive] off]," instead of "[expletive] you," in defending his actions.
"It's clear that the mistake was due to a misunderstanding," Bellingham said. "I remember everything very well, and also the video doesn't match up with what was written in the referee's report.
"I don't want to go into details of what was said, but it's an expression like 'Oh my God.' It's difficult because when the referee isn't sure and says something that I didn't say, the team suffers as a result.
"I just want to clarify that the team knows that I have not been so irresponsible as to put them in the situation of intentionally leaving them with 10 men. But of course, being involved in this situation, it looks like I was."
Jose Luis Manuera Montero has faced rampant criticism and harassment since the incident.
"We, the professional referees, wish to express our absolute rejection of the attacks and threats that our colleague Jose Luis Munuera Montero is receiving through social networks and that affect both him personally and his family," the Technical Committee of Referees said.
"These attacks are added to the hatred and verbal violence with which we have to carry out our professional work every weekend and which, in the lower categories, turns, even more regrettably, into physical violence in many more cases."
Bellingham totaled seven goals and six assists through 20 La Liga matches this season. He is set to miss Madrid's next two La Liga meetings, but remains eligible for a Champions League battle with Manchester City at 3 p.m. EST Wednesday in Madrid.
Madrid will host Girona in its next La Liga match Sunday at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
