By Madrid, Spain – April 7, 2025 – Real Madrid’s hopes of clinching the La Liga title took a significant hit on Sunday night as they suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat to Valencia at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The match, which ended with a dramatic 94th-minute winner from Valencia’s Hugo Duro, left Real Madrid trailing league leaders FC Barcelona by three points with only a few games remaining in the season. However, it was Jude Bellingham’s fiery reaction to the loss that stole the headlines, as the English midfielder was caught on camera booting a VAR monitor in frustration.
Jude Bellingham absolutely BOOTED the VAR monitor in anger after Real Madrid’s shocking late defeat to Valencia 💥
VAR would still probably take 20 minutes to check the incident 😉 pic.twitter.com/HX1bfb8wMW
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) April 7, 2025
The incident occurred moments after the final whistle, with images shared by The Sun Football showing Bellingham, visibly enraged, taking out his anger on the pitchside technology. The 21-year-old, who has been a standout performer for Real Madrid since his arrival, appeared to channel the team’s collective frustration after a match where VAR decisions were heavily debated. “Jude Bellingham absolutely BOOTED the VAR monitor in anger after Real Madrid’s shocking late defeat to Valencia 💥,” The Sun Football posted on X, adding a tongue-in-cheek remark: “VAR would still probably take 20 minutes to check the incident 😉.”
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti addressed the defeat in his post-match press conference, acknowledging the team’s disappointment. “Valencia did a fantastic job, but the match deserved to be won by Madrid. There are things to improve,” Ancelotti said, as reported by Real Madrid Confidencial. He also emphasized the need to keep fighting, stating, “It’s more complicated to fight for La Liga now, but we have chances. We have to keep fighting until the last match.”
Bellingham’s outburst comes at a critical juncture for Real Madrid, who are preparing for a pivotal UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal. After a 2-0 loss in the first leg, the Spanish giants face an uphill battle to advance. Adding to their woes, Real Madrid’s penalty-taking form has been shaky, with Transfermarkt data revealing they’ve missed three of their last four spot-kicks this season.
As the football world buzzes over Bellingham’s reaction, the incident underscores the growing frustration with VAR in the sport. For Real Madrid, the focus now shifts to regrouping and overcoming their recent setbacks on both domestic and European fronts.
