Jude Bellingham News...

Jude Bellingham ban: Real Madrid midfielder suspended for two games..

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Jude Bellingham (4th from left) joined Real last summer from Borussia Dortmund for £89m

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has been banned for two La Liga games for his red card after the 2-2 draw at Valencia.

Bellingham, 20, thought he had scored the winner six minutes into stoppage time at the Mestalla on Saturday.

But referee Gil Manzano had blown the full-time whistle as the cross was delivered.

England's Bellingham will be able to play in Real's Champions League last-16 tie against RB Leipzig on Wednesday.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said Bellingham showed "contempt or disregard" towards Manzano when Real players and staff surrounded him.

Bellingham, who was making his return after three weeks out with an ankle injury, was fined 600 euros (£513) and Real 700 euros (£598).

Real appealed against Bellingham's red card but the RFEF disciplinary committee dismissed their argument that the referee had made an "error".

Manager Carlo Ancelotti said after the incident: "We were annoyed by Bellingham's red card because he didn't say anything insulting. It was frustration."

Real's leading scorer this season with 16 league goals, Bellingham will miss the games against Celta Vigo on Sunday and Osasuna on 16 March.

He will be available to return at Athletic Bilbao on 31 March following the international break.

England play friendlies against Brazil on 23rd March and Belgium on 26th March.

Real are seven points clear at the top of La Liga and hold a 1-0 advantage over Leipzig going into the second leg at the Bernabeu.

Jude Bellingham: Real Madrid midfielder calls for more to be done to tackle racism..

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Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham says football's authorities "need to do more" to tackle racism but he "doubts it will happen".

Bellingham's Real team-mate Vinicius Jr broke down in tears last month when discussing the impact of racist abuse.

In March, Real filed a complaint with the Spanish legal authorities after alleged racist chanting by rival fans.

"It is disgusting. It shouldn't happen," Bellingham said. "The people in power need to do more."

Fellow La Liga side Mallorca are investigating after a fan appeared to make a racist gestured towards Real midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni during the sides' league meeting on Saturday.

"In the games where you go away in La Liga especially you get so used to it that I wasn't aware of the incident, which is a massive problem in itself," said Bellingham, speaking at a news conference before Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City.

"It is horrible way for a player to prepare for a game, knowing they are probably going to get racially abused."

Brazil international Vinicius said last month he feels "less and less" like playing because of the repeated racist abuse he has suffered.

Last season, there were 10 such incidents against the 23-year-old reported to prosecutors by La Liga.

"The game would miss players like Vini if he decided to take a break because of this," Bellingham said. "More needs to be done to support these players.

"The people in charge need to take control. I doubt it will happen.

"It is going to be something I imagine we have to deal with going into games."

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Aurelien Tchouameni was the latest Real Madrid player to face abuse from supporters in the country

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Bellingham leapt to the defence of his team-mate, as well as Vinicius Jnr (L), who has also suffered racist abuse

Sunday 21st April 2024 - Spanish La Liga

Real Madrid 3 (Bellingham 90+1) Barcelona 2

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Jude Bellingham scored a late winner as Real Madrid beat Barcelona to move 11 points clear at the top of La Liga after an enthralling El Clasico.

Bellingham smashed into the roof of the net as the clock ticked into stoppage time as Real twice came from behind at the Bernabeu.

Andres Christensen scored the opener for Barcelona but a Vinicius Jr penalty had the game level at half-time.

Fermin Lopez made it 2-1 to Barca before Lucas Vazquez equalised again.

The victory puts Real firmly on track to reclaim the title with just six games left to play this season.

It looked set to be a positive night for Barcelona when Christensen rose above Toni Kroos to meet Raphinha's corner after just six minutes.

But those celebrations were short lived as referee Cesar Soto Grado pointed to the penalty spot when Pau Cubarsi fouled Vazquez in the area, handing Vinicius the opportunity to score his 13th La Liga goal of the campaign.

Lamine Yamal thought he had restored Barcelona's lead when he flicked a corner towards goal and goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, who was behind the line, clawed it away.

Barcelona were adamant the ball had cross the line but, as La Liga does not have goalline technology, the video assistant referee decided it that was not the case.

A tense second half came to life in the 69th minute with Lopez turning in from close range after Lunin parried a cross into his path.

However, Carlo Ancelotti's Real drew level for a second time just four minutes later with Vazquez emerging unmarked at the far post to meet Vinicius' cross.

The win extends Real's unbeaten record across all competitions to 28 matches - winning 22 and drawing six - with their last loss at home coming against Villarreal on 8 April 2023.

Bellingham rises to occasion once again
Bellingham is becoming accustomed to delivering on the big stage for Real and few are bigger than a Clasico.

The England midfielder got a first taste of the historic fixture in October when he scored twice to lead his side to a 2-1 win at Estadio Olímpico Lluis Companys, and he has continued to step up in the key moments throughout his debut campaign in Spain.

His last-gasp winner at the Bernabeu means he is the first Real player to score in their first two La Liga El Clasico's since Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2007.

The 103m euros (£88.5m) that Real handed over to Borussia Dortmund to sign Bellingham in the summer is looking like more of a bargain with each week that passes and he certainly does not look out of place with Zinedine Zidane's iconic number five on his back.

With 17 goals in La Liga this term, Bellingham is the second highest scorer in the division - just one behind Girona's Artem Dovbyk - and he continues to dazzle as Real look to end the season with a La Liga and Champions League double.

'It's a disgrace' - Xavi
Barcelona coach Xavi was furious after VAR officials could not prove that Yamal's effort had crossed the line.

"It's a disgrace," said Xavi, complaining that the goalline technology used in other top flights including the Premier League is not available in La Liga.

"If we want to be the best league in the world we have to advance in this sense, you have to put in the technology."

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen agreed with his coach.

"It's shameful for football, I don't have the words," said the Germany international.

"There's so much money in this world and there's no money for what's most important."

Tuesday 30th April 2024 - Champions League - Semi-Finals - 1st Leg

Bayern Munich V Real Madrid - 8pm KO - Venue: Allianz Arena

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Report By Marissa Thomas & Charlotte Coates, BBC Sport.
England may have no Premier League clubs left in the Champions League but two of the country's biggest stars will go head to head for a place in the competition's final.
Three Lions captain Harry Kane has been prolific for Bayern Munich despite the German giants failing to win the Bundesliga for the first time in 12 years.
Jude Bellingham, meanwhile, has lit up the Bernabeu during his debut season at Real Madrid.
England boss Gareth Southgate will no doubt be among the keenest of observers when the pair meet in the first leg in Munich on Tuesday.
Both men are set to be key to the Three Lions' Euro 2024 campaign, but who will prevail at club level?
Bellingham had every top club fighting for his signature last summer after it became clear one of football's leading young talents would be on the move.
The former Birmingham City player had starred at Borussia Dortmund and the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea all reportedly went out of their way to convince Bellingham to join them.
But the pull of Real Madrid proved too much for the Stourbridge-born midfielder and he moved to Spain in an £89m transfer.
Having a price tag like that hanging over a player is one thing but how would Bellingham fare with the added pressure of being one of Real's Galacticos?
Quite brilliantly is the answer. In all competitions, the England international has scored 21 goals and registered 10 assists in 36 games.
He has also scored injury-time winners against Barcelona home and away in La Liga to further cement his place as one of Real's star men.
Cristiano Ronaldo's first season at the Bernabeu was more impressive in terms of goals, but the five-time Ballon d'Or winner ended his first campaign without a trophy.
Bellingham, on the other hand, is on course for a La Liga title and three games away from winning the Champions League too.
With four goals and four assists in eight continental games so far this term, Bellingham is on a mission to bring the European Cup trophy back to the Spanish capital for the 15th time.
But in order to achieve that, he must first lead his side past Bayern and England team-mate Harry Kane.