Jobe Bellingham has been dealt a shit hand after being slapped with a one-match ban at the Club World Cup, denying him the chance to face off against his brother Jude on the pitch.
Footy gods are taking the piss
Borussia Dortmund managed to scrape through to the quarter-finals of the tournament, which now boasts 32 teams, after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mexican side Monterrey.
They're now set to face off against Spanish giants Real Madrid, who just about beat Juventus 1-0 in the last-16. But in a cruel twist of fate, the Bellingham brothers won't be going head-to-head as everyone had hoped.
Jobe's brain fart costs him dear
Jobe, 19, picked up a booking in the 28th minute against Monterrey for a needless foul on Nelson Deossa. The ex-Birmingham man looked gutted when he realised what the yellow card meant, having already been cautioned in the group stage clash against South Korean outfit Ulsan.
The teenager tried to plead his case with referee Facundo Tello, but it fell on deaf ears. Now he'll have to hope Dortmund draw Real Madrid in the Champions League next season to get his chance to face Jude on the pitch.
Kovac tries to put a positive spin on it
Dortmund boss Niko Kovac attempted to put a positive spin on the situation, insisting the brothers will have plenty more opportunities to face each other in the future.
"I think he did not exactly know that the second yellow card is a suspension at half-time. He was a little bit surprised," Kovac said. "OK, he's young. His brother is also young, so I'm convinced they will face each other, maybe next season in the Champions League, and then the future. The future is for them."
Kovac subbed Jobe off in the 55th minute, not because of his performance, but because he didn't want to risk him picking up another booking.
Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl couldn't hide his frustration at the decision. "This is very annoying for him, for all of us. That's the story we wanted to write," he said. "It's very, very bitter for him. He was really looking forward to playing against his brother. We have to comfort him a little."
Jobe following in Jude's footsteps
Jobe only joined Dortmund earlier this summer in a package deal worth £31million, following in the footsteps of his brother Jude, who made the same move from Birmingham in 2020 before joining Real Madrid three years later.
Jobe wasted no time in getting off the mark for his new club, scoring just 45 minutes into his full debut. But he'll have to wait a bit longer to test himself against his brother on the biggest stage.
