Madrid, Feb 18 (IANS): Spain's professional referees have been forced to issue a communique after Jose Luis Munuera Montero suffered death threats to himself and his family in the wake of his decisions in Real Madrid's 1-1 draw away to Osasuna on Saturday.

Munuera sent off Real Madrid midfielder, Jude Bellingham in the first half for allegedly swearing at him, and in the second half gave Osasuna a clear penalty after Eduardo Camavinga's late challenge on Ante Budimir, which allowed the latter to level the game from the penalty spot.,, reports Xinhua.

Munuera was subsequently forced to close his social media accounts after receiving thousands of messages, including one which said "You should be scared for your children", and another that read "If we see you in the street, we'll leave you crippled".

In response to these insults, the Referee's Technical Committee (CTA) published a communique reading "The professional referees, wish to make clear our absolute rejection of the attacks and threats to our companion, Jose Luis Munuera Montero is receiving on social media and which are affecting him both personally and in his family environment."

The CTA added that the threats Munuera has received are "added to the hatred and verbal violence with which we have to carry out our professional work every weekend and which, in the lower categories, turns, even more regrettably, into physical violence." The CTA has previously criticized Real Madrid's club TV network, RMTV, which habitually published videos criticising referees' decisions against them and implying there is a conspiracy against the club.

Referee Munuera sent off Bellingham for using the 'f-word', with Real Madrid insisting that the midfielder had only used the word recriminating with himself and that rather than saying 'f-you' as the referee reports, he actually said 'f-off'.

Bellingham has been increasingly petulant and visible in his complaints to officials this season and perhaps this sending-off highlights his need for self-control.