Real Madrid’s Appeal Against Jude Bellingham’s Suspension Rejected, Midfielder to Miss Key La Liga and Champions League Clashes

Real Madrid's appeal against Jude Bellingham's suspension has been denied. Consequently, Bellingham will be unavailable for the upcoming La Liga matches against Girona and Real Betis. However, he remains eligible to participate in the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Sociedad and the Champions League fixture against Atlético Madrid. 

The suspension stems from Bellingham's red card during a recent 1-1 draw with Osasuna, where he was accused of directing offensive language toward referee José Munuera Montero. Despite Real Madrid's submission of video evidence and expert testimony in lip-reading and linguistics to contest the charge, the Appeals Committee upheld the original decision. 

In addition to the domestic suspension, Bellingham has received a separate ban in the Champions League due to accumulating three yellow cards in the tournament. This disciplinary action will sideline him for the first leg of Real Madrid's last-16 tie against Atlético Madrid. 

The incident has also led to significant backlash against referee Montero, who has reportedly received threats and abuse, resulting in emotional distress during a live radio interview. Montero has called for an end to the abuse directed at referees and expressed concern for his family's well-being amidst the ongoing controversy. 

Real Madrid is currently evaluating the possibility of escalating the appeal to the Administrative Court for Sport (TAD) in an effort to overturn the suspension.