Pep Guardiola dismisses Jude Bellingham controversy: 'I've never understood f--- off or f--- you'

The City manager touched on the hottest topic in Spain ahead of the team's clash with Real Madrid in the Champions League

One of the biggest matches of the season lies ahead of Real Madrid and Manchester City, but in Spain the Champions League itself is playing second fiddle to another topic. Jude Bellingham told a referee to "f-- off." Or maybe he said "f--- you." Is which of those he said important? Does either merit a potentially lengthy ban? And most of all, is there a difference between these two phrases in English that means Bellingham shouldn't have gotten a red card.

Bellingham, the match winner when Madrid and City met on Tuesday in England, saw red on Saturday for whatever it was he said to referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero in the 39th minute of the 1-1 draw with Osasuna. The player insisted he had been letting out an exasperated cry of "f--- off." Montero said he heard the altogether more personalized "f--- you". Carlo Ancelotti backed his man, dismissing the incident as a misunderstanding. Barcelona boss Hansi Flick branded Bellingham "disrespectful." Spanish media dived headfirst into a debate on semantics.

Returning from Manchester to his home country, Pep Guardiola, nearly nine years in England as City head coach, seemed as well qualified as anyone to assess. He is as at ease conducting his press conferences in English as he is Spanish. Could he shed light on the whole situation? Unfortunately not.