What exactly did Jude Bellingham say to a referee? Spain debates nuance of his foul language
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Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham (right) reacts to being presented a red card by referee Munuera Montero on Feb 15.
PHOTO: AFP
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MADRID – An unlikely debate about translation and cultural interpretations of English profanity has ignited in Spain, after Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was sent off for verbally abusing a referee on Feb 15.
Mainstream TV shows, radio phone-ins and the front pages of newspapers and major websites on Feb 17 wrestled with the concept of Bellingham’s novel defence that he did not shout “F*** you” at the official, but merely “F*** off”.
The England international, 21, was shown a red card in the 1-1 Spanish La Liga draw at Osasuna as referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero believed that the player had directed the foul language at him.
Spain’s football federation (RFEF) said referees are sickened by the abuse Montero has received since the incident, and that the situation reflects the “hatred and verbal violence” match officials have to endure.
“The professional referees are absolutely repulsed by the attacks and threats that our colleague Jose Luis Munuera Montero is receiving through social networks, which not only target him personally but also his family,” the RFEF said.
“These attacks add to the hatred and verbal violence through which we have to carry out our professional work every weekend, and that in the base categories becomes, even more regrettably, physical violence in many cases.”
However, Bellingham and his coach Carlo Ancelotti said the official was mistaken.
“I’m an English player... and when I speak on the pitch it’s normal that I use expressions that come naturally to me in English,” Bellingham told reporters on Feb 15.
“There was no insult, you can see in the video right away, it was an expression to myself. I’m not even directing myself towards the referee. But, obviously, there was a misunderstanding. He’s believed I’ve said it to him.
“I’ve seen the video and it doesn’t match the (referee) report. I hope that the footage will be reviewed and see that it’s not the same as the report.”
Ancelotti, who managed in England with Chelsea and Everton, backed his player’s defence.
“I think he (the referee) misunderstood Bellingham’s English... The translation is not the same and I don’t think it’s offensive at all. The red card comes out of the referee’s nervousness. Bellingham has done nothing to be sent off. Absolutely nothing,” he said.
In the English Premier League, players routinely use strong language when decisions go against them, and punishments are uncommon.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick took a different view when asked about the incident, saying: “It is a lack of respect in any situation.”
Meanwhile, Bellingham could be facing a four- to 12-game ban for “insulting, offending, or addressing the main referee, assistants, fourth official, directors, or sports authorities in offensive terms or attitudes”.
He added: "What you have to understand is that there is a lot of emotion on the pitch and these details can cost you games. But I've been calm and you can see it with lip reading, it's not what it says on the record. I’m calm, because I know I’ve only said an expression to myself that I’ve said since I was 16 or 17 years old.”
While many observers will be bemused by Bellingham’s defence, the player can point to a recent case that could work in his favour.
Last season, Getafe successfully overturned English forward Mason Greenwood’s sending off in a match against Rayo Vallecano for an almost identical misunderstanding.
In related news, Arsenal have been fined £65,000 (S$110,000) by the English FA for failing to control their players after defender Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off during their 1-0 Premier League win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The FA charged the Gunners after the players surrounded referee Michael Oliver when he showed Lewis-Skelly a straight red card for a foul on Matt Doherty on Jan 25.
The video assistant referee (VAR) upheld Oliver’s decision at the time of the incident, but Arsenal subsequently appealed against the red card and the 18-year-old’s three-match ban was overturned. REUTERS
