The English midfielder was shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Phil Foden in the recent match against Manchester City, resulting in his suspension after accumulating multiple bookings.
The incident occurred just before halftime when Bellingham fouled Foden in midfield. While the challenge wasn’t considered dangerous, the referee deemed it deserving of a yellow card, thus sidelining him for the crucial upcoming match.
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his frustration with recent referee decisions, commenting, “We’ve been affected by questionable calls in three consecutive games, and we still don’t understand them.”
Bellingham’s absence is a significant setback for Real Madrid as they prepare to face either Atlético de Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in mid-March at the Santiago Bernabéu. As a key player in midfield, his suspension will require Ancelotti to find a tactical solution to maintain the team’s strength.
In their previous match, Real Madrid secured a 3-1 victory over Manchester City, with Kylian Mbappé shining with a hat-trick to seal a 6-3 aggregate win. As Los Blancos look to continue their European campaign, Ancelotti will need to carefully adjust his lineup to keep their title hopes alive.
