How long could Bellingham be suspended for and which games would he miss?

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham could be banned from LaLiga action until mid-April after his post-match sending-off at Valencia on Saturday.

Referee Jesús Gil Manzano showed Bellingham a straight red card for his protests after the 20-year-old had a last-gasp winner controversially disallowed.

Deep into stoppage time at Mestalla, with the score level at 2-2, Bellingham headed in a Brahim Díaz cross for what he thought was the winner. However, Gil Manzano ruled the goal out as he had blown for full time just before Brahim’s delivery reached the England midfielder.

Bellingham to ref: “It’s a fucking goal”

In his referee’s report, Gil Manzano wrote: “After the conclusion of the game, still on the field of play, [Bellingham] approached me with an aggressive attitude, repeatedly shouting, ‘It’s a fucking goal.’”

Taking to social media after Saturday’s LaLiga draw, Bellingham appeared to acknowledge saying this. On his X profile, the player shared a post by another account, which quoted his exact words as: “It’s a fucking goal, the ball is in the air. What the fuck is that?”

Speaking to reporters, meanwhile, Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti criticised Gil Manzano’s decision to dismiss Bellingham.

“The red card annoys us,” Ancelotti said. “He [Bellingham] has been transparent in admitting what he said. His emotions were running high when he approached the referee - which is normal after what happened - and he said, ‘It’s a fucking goal.’ But he didn’t insult him; he was just frustrated.”

How many games could Bellingham be banned for?

Spanish soccer regulations indicate that Bellingham can expect a two or three-match suspension for his red card.

According to article 127 of the Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Code, players should be given a ban of this length if they are dismissed for “dissent against the referee, the referee’s assistants or the fourth official, as long as it does not constitute a more serious offence”.

While Madrid argue that Bellingham’s sending-off is harsh as he did not directly insult the referee, the International Football Association Board’s laws of the game appear to support Gil Manzano’s decision.

Per IFAB, the body responsible for drawing up the rules of soccer, players should be sent off for “using offensive, insulting or abusive language”.

Which Real Madrid games would Bellingham miss?

If Bellingham is suspended for two LaLiga games, he will miss Madrid’s home match against Celta Vigo on Sunday 10 March, and the league leaders’ away clash with Osasuna on Saturday 16 March.

Should the former Borussia Dortmund star be banned for three top-flight games, he will also sit out Madrid’s home match against Athletic Club on Sunday 31 March.

Were Bellingham to receive the maximum suspension outlined in article 127, he would be unavailable for LaLiga duty until Madrid’s matchday-31 away game against Real Mallorca, on the weekend of 13/14 April.