Jobe Bellingham will miss Borussia Dortmund’s Club World Cup quarterfinal clash against Real Madrid—and a highly anticipated meeting with his brother Jude—after receiving a second yellow card in the tournament.
The 19-year-old midfielder was booked in the first half for a challenge on Nelson Deossa. Having already picked up a yellow during Dortmund’s group stage match against Ulsan HD, he is now suspended for the next round due to tournament rules.
Under FIFA Club World Cup regulations, a player who accumulates two yellow cards in separate matches is handed a one-game suspension. These cautions are only reset after the quarterfinal stage.
Dortmund manager Niko Kovač expressed sympathy for Bellingham, who appeared visibly disappointed at halftime.
“I think we all saw how disappointed he was,” Kovač said. “He didn’t realize that a second yellow would lead to a suspension. He was a bit surprised.”
Still, Kovač remained optimistic about the young midfielder’s future.
“He’s young, and so is his brother. I’m convinced they’ll face each other again—maybe next season in the Champions League, and definitely many times in the future. The Club World Cup would’ve been a nice stage, but it wasn’t to be. Someone else will step in, and that’s OK too.”
