WATCH: Jude Bellingham controversially denied late winner and sent off on Real Madrid return

By
published

Jude Bellingham thought he had scored Real Madrid's winner at Valencia but was denied by the whistle and sent off for his protests

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham is sent off for protesting after his late header is ruled out due to the final whistle being blown in a 2-2 draw at Valencia in LaLiga in March 2024.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jude Bellingham was denied a late winner for Real Madrid against Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday and the England midfielder was then shown the red card amid furious protests at Mestalla.

Madrid conceded twice in the space of three first-half minutes as Hugo Duro opened the scoring for Valencia and Roman Yaremchuk made it 2-0 to the home side on the half-hour mark.

But Vinicius Junior, on his return to the stadium where he received racial abuse last season, pulled a goal back in added time at the end of the first hald and the Brazilian levelled the scores with another after 76 minutes.

That set up a thrilling finale in a fixture which is always an intense affair and Bellingham, making his return to the Real Madrid side after sustaining an injury against Girona in early February, thought he had won it for Los Blancos right at the end of added time.

The England midfielder rose to head home a cross from Brahim Diaz with 98 minutes and 42 seconds on the clock at Mestalla, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano had started blowing his whistle for full time an instant before the ball went in and the goal therefore did not stand.

Bellingham has scored a few late winners this season, but the 20-year-old was denied on this occasion and saw red for his furious protests following the incident.

According to reports in Spain, the midfielder shouted at Gil Manzano: "It's a f**king goal! The ball is in the air!" The former Borussia Dortmund player could now face a lengthy ban.

For his part, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said: "It's something unprecedented. It had never happened to me before."

Madrid stay top of LaLiga, seven points clear of second-placed Girona and nine ahead of Barcelona, having played one more match than both Catalan clubs.

More Real Madrid stories

Kylian Mbappe to pocket over £200m after deciding Real Madrid as his next club, but  one Frenchman believes the transfer 'could be a problem' for his new side

Kylian Mbappe talk a distraction? Carlo Ancelotti reacts after Real Madrid draw

"I mean, talent. Wow": Chelsea legend Eden Hazard names shock player as the team-mate who impressed him most during his career

Ben Hayward
Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.