Guardiola Urges Real Madrid to Respect Referees Amid Bellingham Controversy

Ahead of the Champions League clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid, Pep Guardiola addressed the controversy surrounding Jude Bellingham's recent red card for allegedly swearing at a referee. Guardiola emphasized that referees should be respected and stated that the intention behind Bellingham's words is more important than the insult itself, suggesting that both expressions of profanity should be avoided. Bellingham and Madrid maintain that he said 'f*** off' in frustration, not 'f*** you', leading to ongoing disputes with the refereeing body. Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, initially empathetic toward referees, faced pressure from the club to amend his comments to align with Madrid's aggressive stance against officiating. The situation has escalated to the point where the RFEF is investigating the referee's conduct following Madrid's complaints. The rivalry intensifies as City looks to overturn a 3-2 deficit from the first leg.