La Liga: Real Madrid and Osasuna End in 1-1 Stalemate Following Bellingham's Dismissal

Synopsis

On February 16, Real Madrid faced Osasuna in a tense match that ended in a 1-1 draw. The game was marred by controversial officiating, particularly after Jude Bellingham was sent off with a red card. Despite being a man down, Real Madrid fought hard for a winner.

Key Takeaways

Bellingham received a red card for allegedly inappropriate language.
Mbappe scored the opening goal for Real Madrid.
Referee Munuera Montero faced criticism for his decisions.
Osasuna equalized through Budimir's penalty.
Real Madrid continued to attack despite being down a player.

Madrid, Feb 16 (NationPress) Real Madrid settled for a 1-1 draw at El Sadar in a match overshadowed by the contentious officiating of Munuera Montero on the pitch and Trujillo Suarez in VAR. Jude Bellingham received a straight red card in the 39th minute while his team was ahead 1-0, after allegedly making an inappropriate comment to referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero, who promptly issued the red card.

“Regarding Bellingham’s red card, the referee misinterpreted English. He said 'fk off', not 'fk you', and it was a mistake because the Spanish translation 'no me jodas' is harmless. In the last three matches, several incidents have occurred that were evident to all. I am eager to be back on the sidelines next game,” said Ancelotti.

“The VAR has scrutinized actions in our area but not in the opponents', as witnessed at the start of the match. There were two or three incidents that could have been reviewed but weren't,” added Ancelotti.

The punishment Bellingham may face hinges on Munuera's post-game report. If he claims Bellingham insulted him, the midfielder could face a suspension ranging from 4 to 12 games, according to reports from Xinhua.

Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring for Madrid in the 15th minute with a fierce shot, finishing Federico Valverde's low cross.

Real Madrid was further aggrieved with the referee when Ante Budimir equalized for Osasuna from the penalty spot in the 58th minute.

The Croatian striker narrowly missed a chance just wide of the Madrid goal after Thibaut Courtois had saved Juan Moncayola's attempt, but he was fouled later by Eduardo Camavinga. After VAR review and a pitch-side check, Munuera awarded the penalty, which Budimir converted, sending Courtois the wrong way.

Despite being down a player, Real Madrid continued to press for a winning goal, with Vinicius Jr. causing problems for Osasuna's defense on the left flank, while Mbappe nearly scored in the dying minutes, only for Osasuna's goalkeeper Sergio Herrera to make a crucial save.