Things got heated up at the Santiago Bernabeu during Real Madrid’s clash against Espanyol on September 21, 2024, as midfielder Jude Bellingham appeared to have insulted referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero.
Los Blancos defeated Espanyol in Madrid, courtesy of goals from Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo Goes, Vinicius Jr, and Kylian Mbappe, after initially going behind following an own goal from Thibaut Courtois.
What Occurred Between Jude Bellingham And Referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero?
Bellingham escaped being handed a red card for seemingly abusing referee Jose, with the Englishman only receiving a yellow card for demonstrating against a decision in the 81st minute.
The key incident happened after Bellingham had possession of the ball before being brought down during a duel with Espanyol midfielder Gragera.
Jude Bellingham was expecting a foul to be signaled by referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero in his favor, but the Englishman was left disappointed when the Spanish referee allowed for the continuation of play without awarding a free kick.
Still, on the ground, Bellingham protested, and it resulted in him being cautioned by referee Jose Munuera for dissent.
After receiving a yellow card, the 21-year-old became incensed and lost his cool, with the England international seen apparently insulting Munuera after the referee turned back.
You Are A Piece Of Sh*t – Jude Bellingham Brands Spanish Referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero
Jude Bellingham reportedly branded the referee “a piece of sh*t,” and it is believed that officials handling the affair also didn’t hear it, and that saw him escape additional punishments.
Reports indicate that disciplinary actions may be meted out against Bellingham for abusing Jose Munuera, with La Liga believed to have a say in such matters.
Vinicius Jr was also booked for dissent in the incident involving Jude Bellingham, as he protested against the decision of the referee to snub a precious counter-attacking move for Real Madrid.
Jude Bellingham And Real Madrid
Meanwhile, Bellingham played an instrumental role in Los Merengues’ comeback win over Espanyol on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
The ex-Borussia Dortmund man delineated his brilliance in the middle of the park, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side secured their 4th consecutive victory in all competitions.
Jude Bellingham has made 3 La Liga appearances this season, scoring no goal and providing no assists.
Moreover, Real Madrid remains unbeaten across all competitions this campaign, and they occupy the 2nd spot on the La Liga table, with 14 points from 6 matches, 1 point behind league leaders Barcelona, who play Villarreal on Sunday, September 22, 2024.
Jude Bellingham And Referees
Jude Bellingham has in the past been the spotlight for his conduct towards referees, with the former Birmingham City man banned for two matches in March 2024.
Bellingham protested against a decision made by referee Jesus Gil not to award a last-minute goal by Real Madrid after he had blown the final whistle in their 2-2 draw with Valencia.
Jude Bellingham was enraged by the call and he remonstrated against the referee saying “it’s a f*cking goal”.
In January 2024, Bellingham lambasted referee Francisco Jose Hernandez at half time after the Spaniard didn’t call for a free-kick in Real Madrid’s 3-2 win over Almeria.
The Englishman felt he had been fouled in the Almeria half, but the center-referee didn’t whistle in his favour.
Bellingham made his feelings clear to the referees at half time, saying: “I don’t get a f*cking foul for you agreeing with me. This is f*cking sh*t man, every week. F*cking hell!”
Who Is Jose Luis Munuera Montero?
Jose Munuera is a Spanish football referee who officiates in La Liga. He has been a FIFA referee since 2019 and is ranked as a UEFA second-category referee.
Jose Munuera’s Personal Information?
The 41-year-old was born on May 19, 1983, in Jaén, Spain, and he owns several restaurants in Córdoba.
His Refereeing Career?
Jose Munuera began officiating in the Segunda División B in 2010 before being promoted to the Segunda División in 2013 and, subsequently, La Liga in 2016.
Jose took charge of his first match in La Liga on August 22, 2016, between Celta Vigo and Leganés.
In 2019, the Spaniard was put on the FIFA referees list and he officiated his first UEFA club competition match on August 1, 2019, a clash involving Romanian club Viitorul Constanța and Belgian side Gent in the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.
Jose Munuera’s first senior international match as referee was on October 7, 2020, a game between Andorra and Cape Verde.
Has Jose Munuera Officiated Outside Of Europe?
Additionally, as part of a referee exchange program between UEFA and CONMEBOL, Munuera Montero was chosen on April 21, 2021, as a video assistant referee for the 2021 Copa América in Argentina and Colombia.
Jose Luis Munuera Montero was joined by four of his compatriots at the tournament and that was the maiden time a team of European referees were selected to officiate at the Copa América.
