Jude Bellingham Targets Cristian Romero with Messi Reference in Madrid Derby Clash
During the intense Madrid derby, Jude Bellingham did not hold back when confronting Cristian Romero, even bringing up Lionel Messi in an 11-word retort. The match ended with Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid securing a 2-1 victory over Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, though the result was marred by controversy.
Controversy Surrounding Officiating
The referee, Spanish official Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias, made several decisions that sparked frustration for Real Madrid. He sent off Dean Huijsen and awarded a penalty converted by Alejandro Grimaldo for Atletico’s lead. Later, Jonathan David extended their advantage to 2-0 before Antonio Rudiger scored late for Real. Despite the effort, Real left the pitch empty-handed and angry.
Bellingham's irritation boiled over after being booked for a foul on Romero. VAR overturned his card, giving the yellow to Romero instead, but Real felt the Argentine should have received a red for a dangerous tackle. This complaint grew louder after another incident where Kang-in Lee avoided a red card despite a high challenge on Federico Valverde, who could now miss months due to injury.
The Heated Exchange Between Bellingham and Romero
Post-match footage shows Bellingham confronting Romero about the foul, with Movistar’s El Día Después revealing the exchange: "When you’re with [Lionel] Messi, you talk a lot. But here, nothing." It is also reported that Bellingham called Romero a "coward," while Romero fired back, calling Bellingham a "cry baby" and reminding him of Argentina's World Cup semi-final win over England, saying he "cried over there."
After full-time, Bellingham shouted about "two red cards, two red cards," underscoring his anger. Real Madrid has since responded strongly, urging La Liga president Javier Tebas to resign following his comments dismissing claims that referees are biased against the club.
Bellingham and Messi’s Past Encounter
One memorable moment from the recent World Cup featured a verbal exchange between Bellingham and Messi during England’s loss to Argentina. Fans speculated it showed tension, but Bellingham later clarified to AS that they were simply discussing fouls, saying:
"We were really just discussing a foul, actually. It wasn't anything bad... I thought there had been a foul earlier, and he said, 'What about the one on me?' And I said, 'You're strong enough to take it,' you know what I mean?"
Bellingham’s Form and La Liga Standings
Bellingham delivered one of the finest World Cup performances by an English player and has started the season strong for Real Madrid with three goals and three assists in eight matches. Despite this, the derby loss leaves Real trailing behind their rivals in La Liga. They sit fourth in the table, six points adrift of leaders Barcelona and just behind Atletico Madrid by one point, heading into the international break.
