For all of Jude Bellingham’s brilliance, the Englishman continues to struggle when it comes to keeping his emotions in check.
Now, the Real Madrid star could be facing yet another avoidable suspension following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Valencia. A dramatic 95th-minute winner from Hugo Duro sealed the upset, denying Los Blancos a chance to close the gap on league leaders Barcelona.
The fallout was immediate and intense - fans voiced their frustration, players looked rattled - but it was Bellingham’s outburst that stole the headlines. In a moment of red mist, he lashed out at VAR equipment as he stormed down the Bernabeu tunnel. It’s another entry in a growing list of emotional flare-ups - from confrontations with referees to touchline tantrums - that suggest while Bellingham’s game is mature beyond his years, his temperament is still catching up.
Madrid’s rich vein of form around the turn of the year is beginning to unravel. A loss to Real Betis in early March opened the floodgates, and although they've scraped through narrow - and at times, undeserved - wins against Atletico Madrid, Rayo Vallecano, Villarreal, Leganes, Real Sociedad, and now Valencia, the cracks are starting to show. Bellingham’s visible frustration might just be the first real sign that the wheels are starting to wobble at the worst possible time.
An image that quickly spread across social media showed Bellingham venting his frustration by kicking the base of the VAR monitor.
While it remains to be seen if the 21-year-old receives any punishment, perhaps the thing saving him from racking up unnecessary time on the sidelines as his side try to battle their way to a Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey treble is the fact the VAR monitor didn't topple and break.
However, in La Liga, unsportsmanlike conduct or "acts of aggression against equipment" are typically handled under the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) disciplinary code. If a player is found to have intentionally damaged league property (like VAR monitors), the league can hand out sanctions, including a 1-3 match ban, fines, or warnings and formal reprimands.
Even if no damage is done, the intent and public nature of the act - especially if caught on camera - can lead to disciplinary action for "disrespectful conduct" or "bringing the game into disrepute."