Referee Who Gave Bellingham A Red Card Freed From Allegations Of Violation By RFEF

Jude Bellingham received a red card during Real Madrid's draw against Osasuna in La Liga which led to an RFEF (Instagram/@realmadrid) investigation.

JAKARTA - Spanish referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero has been acquitted of any charges of abuse after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) investigated a possible conflict of interest between his position as a referee and his joint private sports consulting firm.

RFEF released a statement on Thursday, February 20, 2025, local time, saying no further action would be taken against the 41-year-old referee.

Munuera Montero has been criticized since giving Jude Bellingham a red card for using harsh words to him in the Real Madrid vs Osasuna match which ended in a 1-1 draw, Saturday, February 15, 2025.

Munuera Montero closed its Instagram account after receiving tens of thousands of comments, including insults and death threats after the match.

The controversy escalated after newspapers Marca and the US reported that its company, Talentus Sports Speakers, had business ties to football institutions and professional clubs.

This led to the RFEF opening an investigation to analyze whether the activity was in accordance with its position as a referee.

"After conducting detailed studies, analysis, and verification of commercial, corporate, and accounting information, economic activity of these companies, and Munuera Montero's participation rate in it, the RFEF Regulatory Compliance Department has concluded that there is no real or potential conflict in referee's business activities with his job as First Division (La Liga) referee," said RFEF.

"Therefore, and in accordance with internal regulations on conflicts of interest and practice, the RFEF has no reason whatsoever to justify the implementation of disciplinary action against Munuera Montero."

Munuera denied wrongdoing on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, and said the company had not billed any sporting entities since their founding and threatened legal action against the media.

"In recent months, disproportionate attacks on referee collectives have become real. On this last occasion, I have been the target," he said.

RFEF said Monday, February 17, 2025, that referees have been fed up with the abuse Montero has received since giving Bellingham a red card, with situations reflecting hatred and verbal abuse experienced by match officials.

Bellingham was sentenced to a two-match ban even though in his defense he said that the referee had misunderstood him because he spoke in English himself.