Referees in La Liga ‘have Jude Bellingham’s number’ – report

Real Madrid’s rising talent, Jude Bellingham, voiced his concerns on Wednesday evening regarding what he perceives as a trend among referees to single him out as a newcomer to La Liga. This sentiment arose following his recent expulsion from a match against Valencia, marking his first red card since joining the Spanish league. Bellingham’s dismissal came as a result of dissent expressed towards the officiating.

In the span of 22 games, Bellingham has amassed five yellow cards in addition to the aforementioned red card, with a couple of those yellows also attributed to dissent. Reports from Marca indicate that referees have been discussing Bellingham among themselves, with some expressing the view that his protests have been excessive and disruptive to the normal flow of refereeing. In their assessment, his frequency and intensity of complaints have led them to “have his number,” as the report phrased it.

At just 20 years old, Bellingham’s frustration has been mounting in recent months as he feels aggrieved by the lack of favorable decisions going his way, a sentiment shared by many within the Real Madrid camp. However, it’s notable that Bellingham often takes the lead in expressing grievances, as evidenced by his close call with a second yellow card during a match against Granada in December, where he repeatedly directed profanity towards the referee, an incident which the official chose to overlook.