Jude Bellingham and Cesar Azpilicueta had a fiery face-to-face encounter during Sunday’s Madrid derby. 

The two players both featured in the historic derby, where hosts Atletico triumphed 3-1 in the league affair thanks to Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann. 

And, as expected in a derby, there was a brief incident in the final moments of the match where tensions boiled over and the two sets of players clashed.  

According to Spanish outlet MARCA, the former Chelsea defender shouted ‘Fair play!’ following Bellingham’s tackle. 

Jude Bellingham (right) and Cesar Azpilicueta (middle right) clashed during the Madrid derby

Azpilicueta took issue with a late Bellingham tackle on Atletico team-mate Angel Correa (left)

‘Fair play? Come on man, you’ve thrown the ball four times on the field to waste time’, the ex-Birmingham City star replied. 

In the end, Bellingham only received a yellow card for the challenge however Atletico boss Diego Simeone thinks the midfielder was lucky to escape a red. 

‘Correa’s play, the last one, to me seemed like an expulsion,’ Simeone explained. ‘Bellingham’s. It seemed hard to me, with his leg up, Correa hitting the ball. 

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‘It seemed dangerous to Angelito but now when I see it I will surely be able to tell you better’.

Bellingham, 20, has made a bright start to life in Madrid and already has six goal contributions (five goals and one assist) from his six league games.

Despite the impressive start, the Three Lions star failed to get on the scoresheet against Atletico and could only watch as his side fell to a 3-1 defeat. 

Bellingham failed to add to his five league goals for the season as his side fell to a 3-1 defeat

It later emerged that, on the night, Bellingham demonstrated his respect for Real Madrid‘s rivals despite suffering his first LaLiga defeat.

The 20-year-old has been hailed as a mature player and showed respect for Real’s rivals when walking off the pitch at full-time and back down the tunnel towards the dressing room.

As the Atletico badge emblazoned into the carpet at the entrance to the walkway loomed nearer, Bellingham avoided walking over it and instead stepped around the symbol.

Atletico supporters watching on from high in the stands filmed the England international deliberately taking extra steps to prevent himself trampling over the club symbol before continuing his walk back to the changing rooms.