Real Madrid’s appeal against Jude Bellingham’s two-match suspension has been rejected.
The English midfielder was hit with the ban after he was sent off against Osasuna on February 15 for swearing at the referee.
In his match report, referee Jose Munera Montero stated that Bellingham said “f*** you” to him.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) banned the 21-year-old for two games, saying he displayed “contemptuous or inconsiderate attitudes towards referees, officials or sports authorities”.
After the match Bellingham said he had not insulted the referee but made “an expression to myself”.
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Dermot Gallagher and Stephen Warnock discuss Bellingham’s red card for dissent during Real Madrid’s game at Osasuna in LaLiga
Real Madrid told the RFEF’s appeals committee Bellingham had said “f*** off” rather than “f*** you”.
The appeals committee said the club had tried to “demonstrate the absence of the insulting or offensive nature” of “f*** off”, but said this was “not relevant” given it had been unable to confirm Bellingham said this.
The committee also considered the offence to be as serious as violent conduct (in a verbal sense).
Bellingham protests to the referee after being shown a red card against Osasuna
According to the reasonings, the expert report provided that Bellingham did say “f*** you” and video evidence provided by the club did not show a conclusive angle to counter the expert report.
He will now miss his side’s league match against Girona on Sunday and the trip to Seville to face Real Betis on March 2.
Bellingham will also be ruled out of the first leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico Madrid after collecting a third booking of the European campaign in the defeat of Manchester City on Wednesday.
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