Referee’s Final Whistle Sparks Chaos as Madrid Left Fuming Over Disputed Decision
Real Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed frustration on Saturday following a dramatic turn of events that saw midfielder Jude Bellingham receive a contentious red card after the final whistle in their 2-2 La Liga draw against Valencia. The match at the Mestalla Stadium ended in chaos as Bellingham was sent off for protesting after referee Jesus Gil Manzano blew the whistle just before Bellingham scored what could have been a late match-winning goal in the 99th minute, following a whipped cross from Brahim Diaz.
“I think what’s just happened is unprecedented. It’s never happened to me,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“We had possession of the ball, and the match should have been finished when Valencia had the ball.
“What bothers us is the red card for Bellingham because he didn’t say anything insulting. He was frustrated, of course,” said Ancelotti, noting that Bellingham had used a common English swearword when expressing his frustration to the referee about the goal.
Madrid’s second draw in three league games leaves the 35-time Spanish champions seven points clear of second-placed Girona, who face lowly Mallorca on Sunday.
Next up for Ancelotti’s squad is the Champions League last 16 second leg against RB Leipzig, with Madrid holding a 1-0 aggregate lead from the first leg.
The match against Valencia saw Real Madrid trailing 2-0 after just half an hour, with Hugo Duro and Roman Yaremchuk putting Valencia in the lead. Real’s comeback began with Vinicius Junior’s goal five minutes into first-half injury time, followed by his equalizer with 14 minutes left to play.
However, the game ended in controversy after Bellingham’s disallowed goal, leaving both teams with a point.
The draw gives Girona an opportunity to cut the deficit to four points on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Real Sociedad faced a setback with a 3-2 defeat to Sevilla, raising concerns ahead of their Champions League second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. The loss marked Sociedad’s fourth defeat in their last five matches, dampening their confidence before the crucial fixture against PSG.
As La Liga action continues, Barcelona coach Xavi emphasized the importance of upcoming matches for his side, with Barcelona aiming to maintain their recent winning streak in both domestic and European competitions.
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