Real Madrid were once again in the spotlight of the controversy after team star Jude Bellingham got sent off after allegedly swearing to the referee in the game against Osasuna. FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick weighed in on the debate, making his views clear to both Bellingham and his own players.
In the 40th minute, Bellingham confronted referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero after a foul, resulting in the referee issuing a red card. While Bellingham and Real Madrid maintain the player said “F— off,” Munuera Montero’s official report claims he heard “F— you.” Ahead of Barcelona‘s match against Rayo Vallecano, Flick was asked about the controversy, sharing his thoughts on the difference between the two phrases:
“When you say this to me, it’s not nice. I think it’s disrespectful, but I don’t get to decide about the situation,” the coach admitted. “This is always what I say to my players: ‘Why you waste energy to speak or discuss with the referee about his decisions?‘ We have one person in the pitch allowed to speak to the referee, and it’s the captain. We have to accept that,” he added.
Flick then drew a parallel with another sport. “I really like Handball. When you see it, the referee whistles, and the ball goes down. This is the same thing, I think we can learn from that sport. I don’t like this behavior, and I said this today to my players. Because, in the end, it’s not good for the team when you do it, and you can get a red card. It’s a weakness and we don’t want that.”
Flick’s strong stance not only serves as a message to Bellingham and Real Madrid but also reinforces the importance of maintaining discipline on the pitch to his own players.
see also
Jude Bellingham receives second career red card after confronting referee in Real Madrid vs. Osasuna
Real Madrid aims to appeal Bellingham’s red card
According to several Spanish outlets, Real Madrid is preparing to appeal the decision and have Bellingham’s red card overturned, hoping he will be available for their next La Liga match against Girona.
“In the 40th minute, Bellingham was sent off for the following reason: For addressing me, at a short distance, with the following words: ‘F— you‘” wrote Munuera Montero in the official match report. Los Blancos plan to present video evidence to counter this claim, arguing that there was a misunderstanding.
Meanwhile, Bellingham has attempted to calm the situation. On Instagram, he wrote “Enough said about the misunderstanding, just wanted to apologize again for leaving my teammates in such a tough position and thank the fans for their support and understanding. See you on Wednesday at home,” ahead of the second leg against Manchester City.
