WHEN JUDE BELLINGHAM WILL SERVE HIS ENGLAND BAN AFTER PUNISHMENT SUSPENDED

Jude Bellingham has been hit with a one-match suspended ban for violating rules during a Euro 2024 clash - but he might never miss a minute of action for England.

The 21-year-old was handed a €30,000 (£25,000) fine and a suspended one-match ban after making a crotch-grabbing gesture during England's win over Slovakia in the last-16. UEFA launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred after Bellingham scored a 95th-minute equaliser to take the game to extra time.

UEFA subsequently ruled that the midfielder had violated "the basic rules of decent conduct" in a statement released on Friday. The one-match ban is suspended for a year, which means Bellingham is clear to face Switzerland in Saturday's crunch quarter-final and will only miss a UEFA-affiliated match for England if he breaks any conduct rules within the next 12 months.

Should Bellingham keep his head down within this period he will not miss a minute's action for the Three Lions. The Real Madrid superstar claimed on social media that the gesture was "an inside-joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game". He also added that he had "nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played".

Despite the controversy, Bellingham is expected to be included in Gareth Southgate's line-up on Saturday amid reports the former Middlesbrough manager is going to test out a new formation.

England are yet to put in a strong showing out in Germany, prompting calls from fans for some of their underperforming stars, like Bellingham, Phil Foden, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka, to be dropped.

But it's understood Southgate isn't planning to do that and instead intends to switch to a three-at-the-back formation, with two wing-backs and two No. 10s behind Kane.

Victory against Switzerland would see England advance to the semi-finals of the Euros for the second successive tournament. There, they'll face the winners of the Netherlands vs Turkey.

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2024-07-05T12:21:01Z dg43tfdfdgfd