Real Madrid Slams Decision to Disallow Jude Bellingham's Last-Gasp Goal Against Valencia

Real Madrid expressed frustration towards referee Jesus Gil Manzano following his contentious decision to disallow Jude Bellingham's late goal against Valencia on Saturday.

In a hard-fought La Liga encounter at the Mestalla, Real Madrid settled for a 2-2 draw against Valencia, showcasing their resilience after falling behind by two goals early in the match.

Vinicius Junior emerged as the standout performer, scoring a brace in the first half to propel Real Madrid's title aspirations.

However, the match was marred by controversy in the dying moments when Bellingham appeared to secure victory for his team with a header from Brahim Diaz's cross.

The jubilation quickly turned into chaos as Gil Manzano blew the final whistle just as Brahim delivered the ball, prompting protests from the Madrid players. Bellingham was subsequently shown a red card amidst the commotion.

The drama continued as seven minutes of stoppage time were initially indicated, with additional time added following a VAR review that overturned a penalty awarded to Valencia. The match concluded with the clock reading 98:40.

Real Madrid voiced their discontent with the referee's decisions, labeling them as "unprecedented" and emphasizing their belief that the league leaders deserved all three points.

In an official statement, Real Madrid criticized Gil Manzano's call to disallow Bellingham's goal, which they argued would have secured a crucial victory at the Mestalla.

"The referee's decision to prematurely end the match deprived Real Madrid of a victory against Valencia at Mestalla," the statement read.

"Despite trailing 2-0, Real Madrid fought back, with Vinicius Jr. equalizing the scoreline. The disallowed goal by Bellingham, in the dying moments of the game, was a pivotal moment that denied us the opportunity to claim all three points," the statement continued.

Real Madrid's frustration highlights the impact of officiating decisions on the outcome of matches and underscores the need for greater consistency and clarity in refereeing standards.