Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti spoke on a red-card and disallowed controversy involving Jude … [+] Bellingham.
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Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti explained what Jude Bellingham told referee Gil Manzano ahead of getting sent off for protesting against a decision to disallow what would have been a winning goal against Valencia on Saturday.
The La Liga leaders went 2-0 down in the first half to their hosts at the Mestalla only for Vinicius Jr. to fire back with a double.
Deep into stoppage time, Bellingham appeared to have bagged the winner when heading home a Brahim Diaz cross until it became clear that Manzano had already blown the full time whistle.
Madrid’s players naturally swarmed Manzano with Bellingham particularly animated and sent off for his protests.
At his post-match press conference following the 2-2 draw, Ancelotti shed light on what Bellingham said to Manzano and stressed that the Englishman hadn’t insulted the match official.
“It’s unprecedented because after the rebound we had possession of the ball and he had to stop [the game] if Valencia had possession [instead]. There’s nothing more to add, it’s never happened to me before.
“Bellingham said to him in English ‘It’s a f*cking goal’, but it wasn’t an insult. It is something unprecedented, which has never happened to me. If he blows the whistle when the Valencia goalkeeper stops the ball, fine, but he let it go and we had possession. I think it was a mistake.”
“We’re heated and angry,” Ancelotti said about the mood in the Madrid locker room.
“We need to get back to normal for Wednesday’s game [against Leipzig in the Champions League]. We’ve done things we need to improve. We have to cool down because the locker room is a bit heated.”
On Vinicius, who was voted the MVP in a ground where he suffered racist abuse last season, Ancelotti said that the Brazilian “played a good game and was decisive”.
“He’s been more effective in the area. [Dmitri] Foulquier played an outstanding game and Vinicus played more inside. This was a very difficult match. They are a strong, organized, and aggressive opponent.
“They created a lot of problems for us in the first half. We could have won, but as I’ve said before, we have to keep it up. At this point in the season, a draw in Valencia could be important,” Ancelotti concluded.
