Bellingham: “There was no insult and it's clear on the video”
“I hope the Federation takes that into account because the footage is a huge piece of evidence,” the Englishman said of his sending-off.
Jude Bellingham spoke to the media after Osasuna vs. Real Madrid to clarify the event that ended with Munuera Montero showing him a straight red card in the 39th minute: “It's clear that the mistake was due to a misunderstanding. 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.”
“I hope that the images are reviewed and confirm that what happened isn’t what it says in the referee’s report. If so, hopefully, the Federation will take it into account because the images are clear evidence. Obviously we can't change the result but I hope that once reviewed there will be some change.”
There was no insult
"There was no insult and it’s clear in the video; I directed it at myself. I'm not even addressing the referee directly. But obviously there was a misunderstanding. He thought I said it to him. I think maybe he was looking for this a little bit, but there was no insult.”
English expressions
"It's one of those things that comes out of me as an English player. I come from a different country and when I speak on the field, especially to myself, it comes naturally to me to use certain expressions in English. Maybe I should try to do it in Spanish. Last year's case was more complex. I think I opened myself up more to punishment and the ban was fair because I went to the referee, but today I didn't go near the referee and there was no insult”.
Calmness
"I don't think I should be sent off for speaking in another language. You have to understand that we players have a lot of emotions during matches. These small details can cost you a game. We take it very seriously. When you're on the pitch, emotions can get the better of you, but that wasn't the case today. I was very calm in the way I addressed him. You can see it in the video and by reading my lips. I read the minutes and I was right to use an expression that I have been using since I was 16 or 17, for better or worse”.