Bellingham gets 2-game suspension for 'aggressive' protest to ref

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was handed a two-game suspension on Wednesday for protesting against a referee after his late goal was waived off in a Spanish league match last weekend.

Bellingham loudly complained after the referee blew the final whistle before he sent his header into the net for what would have been Madrid's winner against Valencia at Mestalla Stadium on Saturday. The game ended in a tie, 2-2.

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Madrid had continued its attack even though referee Jesús Gil Manzano ended the game after a ball crossed into the area.

Gil Manzano wrote in his report that Bellingham ran toward him "in an aggressive manner shouting repeatedly" with an expletive in English to describe the goal.

Madrid was expected to appeal the two-game suspension. The team's next two matches in the league are against Celta Vigo on Sunday and at Osasuna the following weekend.

Madrid has a seven-point lead over Girona after 27 matches.

Bellingham, the England midfielder who is the Spanish league's leading scorer with 16 goals, started for Madrid against Valencia after missing three games with an ankle sprain.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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