Referee Gil Manzano not only infuriated Real Madrid by disallowing their comeback goal, but also by sending off Bellingham with a straight red card for protesting.
The Englishman, scorer of the goal, couldn’t believe what had just happened and approached the referee to protest.
“It’s a fucking goal! The ball is in the air!” shouted the Real Madrid player, to which Gil Manzano responded with the straight red card.
This decision angered Ancelotti more than the ‘disallowed’ goal itself. “I don’t understand it, because Bellingham has spoken in a very polite manner,” said Carlo Ancelotti after the match.
And it’s true, merely stating “it’s a damn goal” could result in a one-match suspension for Bellingham.
Gil Manzano confirmed these words in the match report, although adding that he did so in “an aggressive manner and shouting.”
Bellingham hadn’t played his best game, but he showed up in the last second doing what he does best, arriving from the second line to seal the final 2-3 victory. Gil Manzano deprived him of the win and of further increasing his goal tally, which remains at 16 goals.
