Jude Bellingham Challenges Referee After Real Madrid's Controversial Loss to Atletico Madrid
Jude Bellingham showed clear frustration with referee Ortiz Arias at the final whistle after Real Madrid suffered a disputed 2-1 loss against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano stadium.
The midfielder was involved in one of the game’s most debated moments when Cristian Romero caught him with his studs during a first-half challenge. Initially, Ortiz Arias booked Bellingham, but after VAR intervention, he was called over to review the incident on the monitor.
Following the review, the referee overturned Bellingham's yellow card and instead booked Romero. This decision left Real Madrid convinced that Romero should have been shown a red card for the tackle.
Bellingham's Reaction Highlights Discontent
The key moment happened in the 35th minute with the score tied at 0-0. Bellingham reached the ball ahead of Romero during a tight contest, only for Romero to strike him around the knee with his studs. Ortiz Arias initially punished Bellingham with a yellow card, but VAR official Trujillo Suarez prompted a review to correct a possible mistaken identity.
After the check, it was clear that Romero committed the foul, so Bellingham's booking was cancelled and the Atletico defender was cautioned instead. Real Madrid felt this was insufficient, believing Romero’s challenge deserved a sending off, especially since the referee had the chance to assess the incident personally.
Additional Incident Adds to Real Madrid’s Frustration
The tension didn’t stop there. Just nine minutes later, Kang-in Lee caught Federico Valverde with his studs around the left ankle. Ortiz Arias was near the play but chose not to issue a card. More notably, VAR did not signal for a review on this challenge.
These two moments fueled the controversy of the match, particularly after Huijsen was later sent off following a VAR decision for a foul on Giuliano Simeone. Real Madrid’s players were left frustrated by what they perceived as inconsistent refereeing.
Bellingham’s Final Words Sum Up His View
Without needing many words, Bellingham made his stance clear at the end of the match. The England international loudly shouted at the referee: "Two red cards! Two!"— expressing his belief that both early fouls deserved dismissals.
This derby will be remembered not just for the performance on the pitch but also for the decisions that kept Atletico Madrid at full strength during critical moments of the first half. Bellingham’s reaction captured the mood inside the Real Madrid camp as debates about the officiating continued after the final whistle.
