Jude Bellingham was sent off for the first time at Real Madrid when he protested to the referee who ruled out his 99th-minute winner against Valencia. The Englishman confronted referee Jesús Gil Manzano saying “it’s a fucking goal” after the match official had blown the full-time whistle a fraction of a second before the ball was crossed in for him to head past Giorgi Mamardashvili. Had it stood, It would have been his 21st goal of the season, securing a 3-2 victory at Mestalla. The final whistle appeared to go in two seconds before the ball went into the net.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said he had never seen anything like it before and insisted that Bellingham had not insulted the referee. The club are likely to appeal the card, which brings with it an automatic suspension. While still in the dressing room, Bellingham retweeted a post calling the decision a scandal.
Madrid had come from 2-0 down to make it 2-2 with a double from Vinícius Jr and won a corner on 98.13. The referee had initially indicated that there would be seven minutes added but then signalled a further minute extra following a VAR review for a possible Valencia penalty. Madrid won a corner on 98.13 and Gil Manzano advised the players that it would be the last move of the game. When the corner was cleared towards the edge of the area, he made as if to blow but instead paused and waited a couple of seconds before eventually doing so after the ball reached Brahim Díaz, whose cross Bellingham subsequently headed in.
With Madrid staff running on the pitch to celebrate what they thought had been the winning goal, there was confusion and confrontations on the pitch. Bellingham ran over to Gil Manzano, throwing his arm in the air and remonstrating. Although the red card was shown, in the melee it was not immediately clear which player had been sent off.
The referee’s formal report, submitted after the game, read: “In the minute 999 [sic], the player (5) Bellingham, Jude Victor William, was sent off for the following reason: after the end of the game and while still on the pitch, he ran towards me with an aggressive attitude, shouting, repeating various times: “It’s a fucking goal.”
“Bellingham went over in a vehement manner, but that’s quite normal,” Ancelotti insisted. “The red card annoyed us because it was not an insult at all. Obviously, there was a bit of frustration. He said, in English, ‘it’s a fucking goal’ and it’s true: that’s what we all think.” Bellingham also retweeted a post that quoted him as having said: “It’s a f*cking goal, the ball is in the air. What the f*ck is that.”
As players confronted each other, Toni Kroos sat on the Madrid bench and watched a replay on an iPad in an attempt to work out what had happened. Vinicius and Valencia striker Hugo Duro exchanged angry words as they departed. Bellingham was furious when he finally headed off and down the tunnel. One Madrid player punched a backdrop for postgame TV interviews and there were altercations between Madrid players and security staff.
“The referee said it was the last move; I don’t understand why he took so long to blow up,” said Valencia striker Hugo Duro afterwards. “I understand Madrid but he said it was the last move. Giorgi [Mamardashvili, the Valencia goalkeeper] clears, he waits until Brahim gets it and then he blows. Either blow before or don’t blow.”
Borussia Dortmund scored in each half through Karim Adeyemi and Ian Maatsen to battle past Union Berlin 2-0 and remain fourth in the Bundesliga. Their first win in four games in all competitions lifted them to 44 points, six behind third-placed VfB Stuttgart, winners 3-2 at VfL Wolfsburg. RB Leipzig are fifth on 43 after their 4-1 victory over VfL Bochum.
It also lifted some of the pressure on Dortmund’s coach, Edin Terzic, who has been criticised for the team’s poor recent form. Dortmund host PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League last 16 second leg on 13 March.
“We were a bit sleepy in the first 20 or 30 minutes,” Adeyemi said. “After that we did it well. We played a solid game even though we are not completely satisfied. We could have been more dominant.”
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Dortmund, missing the suspended forward Donyell Malen, had two golden chances before Adeyemi picked up the ball on the edge of the box, cut inside and whipped in a fierce shot that went in off the crossbar to give his side a 41st-minute lead. It was the first goal of the season for the Germany international, who has struggled with injuries and a dip in form in recent months.
Union should have levelled in the 56th but Dortmund’s goalkeeper, Alexander Meyer, palmed a point-blank Kevin Volland shot wide and the visitors made sure of the three points with Maatsen’s 90th- minute goal.
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