Real Madrid's Bellingham shown red card after using English expletive to protest referee

PAMPLONA, Spain (AP) — Jude Bellingham was sent off in Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw at Osasuna after he used explicit language while protesting the refereeing on Saturday.

Referee José Luis Munuera marched the England midfielder in the 40th minute of the La Liga game after Bellingham complained about a refereeing decision while gesturing with his arms. The two exchanged words before Munuera pulled out the red card.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti defended his player and claimed that Munuera made a translation error of Bellingham’s use of an English expletive.

“Bellingham didn’t do anything that deserved a sending off,” Ancelotti said. “He said ‘(expletive) off,’ not ’(expletive) you.' I don’t think that was meant to be offensive.”

Munuera wrote in his refereeing report that Bellingham told him, ”‘(expletive) you.’”

Bellingham spoke after Ancelotti. He said he didn't “want to go into details of what was said,” but he insisted that his use of the expletive was not meant to target the referee.

“It is clear that he made a mistake and there was a miscommunication,” Bellingham said. “I want to make sure that the team knows that I wasn’t irresponsible enough to put them in a situation where they were left with 10. But of course, being involved in this situation, it looks like I was.”

The 21-year-old player who has become a team leader for Madrid, said he was used to using that language on the field and didn't mean it is an insult.

“When you’re on the pitch, emotions can get the better of you, but that wasn’t the case today. I was very calm in the way I addressed him,” Bellingham said. "You can see it in the video and by reading my lips. I read the minutes and I was right to use an expression that I have been using since I was 16 or 17, for better or worse.”

This was not the first time his mouth has gotten Bellingham into trouble in Spain. He was suspended for two games last season when he used an English expletive to protest a referee's decision in a draw at Valencia.

The red card means Bellingham will at least miss next round’s game against Girona.

Ancelotti had already received a yellow card for complaining about what he thought was a handball by an Osasuna defender in the host's area that was not punished.

Madrid was winning 1-0 from a goal by Kylian Mbappé when Bellingham ran afoul of the ref. Ante Budimir leveled for Osasuna from a penalty in the second half.

Two rounds ago, Madrid vehemently complained about refereeing that it claimed favored Espanyol in a loss.

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Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham walks off the pitch after he received a red card during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Real Madrid at El Sardar stadium in Pamplona, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, centre, protests to the referee after being shown a red card during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Real Madrid at El Sardar stadium in Pamplona, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, left, speaks with Real Madrid's Luka Modric after after being shown a red card by the referee during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Real Madrid at El Sardar stadium in Pamplona, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)