It was Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid who walked out of the Santiago Bernabeu on the weekend with their heads held high as they pulled five points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga. That was following their 2-1 win over Hansi Flick's side; Jude Bellingham scored the match-winner but footage of the Englishman's four-word dig at his Barca counterpart, Pedri, is also going viral.
In a match that provided some much-needed moxie and a bit of needle, it was the talismanic Kylian Mbappe who scored first. The Frenchman latched onto a wonderful pass and slotted home in the 22nd minute; but the visitors were quick to reply with Fermin Lopez getting on the scoresheet just seven minutes shy of the half-time interval.
Los Blancos proved good value for their victory, in all honesty, and Bellingham's winner just before the break restored some faith that knocking their arch-rivals off their perch could be on the cards this season. As things stand, the side from the capital have picked up 27 points in their opening ten league outings while Barca have lost twice in the last three matches.
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Bellingham's Four-Word Jab at Pedri Goes Viral
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Not only for popping up and scoring the winner, but Bellingham – an England international who joined from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023 – was, once again, the star of the show. He put in a brilliant display in the middle of the park, taking five shots and passing four times in the final third. His pinpoint pass for Mbappe's opener was sublime.
During a clash with Pedri, Stourbridge-born Bellingham made use of the opportunity to aim a jibe at the Spaniard, who went to the ground under a challenge from the 22-year-old Englishman.
Bellingham attempted to lift the Spain international's head from the turf as he believed that he was faking an injury – and, as a result of the contact, those associated with Barca attempted to get him sent off. Eric Garcia, as seen below, was among those who complained to referee Cesar Soto Grado. Nothing was given, however, and play resumed as normal.
Eventually, as the complaints grew, Pedri – widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in world football alongside Bellingham – got back to his feet and the Real talisman has been spotted using the Catalan's dodgy past against them. "Not even with Negreira!" Bellingham said as he highlighted the ongoing 'Negreira case'. You can watch the footage below:
For those unfamiliar with the aforementioned case, Barca are currently under investigation for considerable payments to the former Vice President of La Liga's referee committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, in a 19-year period between 1999 and 2018.
Bellingham was, therefore, taking a sly dig at his side's arch-rivals to suggest that, not even with a corrupt Negreira refereeing the game, he would not be sent off for such little contact.
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The case, reopened in 2023 with charges of corruption and breach of trust, claims the payments influenced refereeing decisions for the Spanish powerhouse. That said, all charges of bribery were dropped in May 2024 because of Negreira's non-public official status.
According to Spanish outlet El Mundo, the Negreira case has escalated to a new judicial level as a court in Barcelona has issued an order to request all contracts and documentation related to payments made by the club to Negreira and his companies in that time frame. The investigating judge requires the club to deliver "any type of material that could support its billing."