Jose Mourinho arrived at his post-match news conference with an A4 sheet of printed screenshots, arguing that two specific incidents during Real Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid should have resulted in dismissals for the opposition. The manager pointed to two first-half challenges he believes were clear red card offences, lamenting the impact these refereeing decisions had on the match. This defeat marked Real Madrid’s second of the season, following their 1-0 loss to Real Betis earlier in September.
Addressing the press, Mourinho declared, “We can skip the press conference because the story of the match is right here.” He suggested that the game would have looked very different had the officials acted correctly. “Those were two clear red cards. Given the difficulties we faced afterwards playing 11 against 10, we can only imagine what 50 minutes of 11 against nine would have been like.” He further remarked that he would focus on supporting his players, praising their class and character for setting up a strong first-half performance.
The first incident mentioned involved a 37th-minute collision between Real’s Jude Bellingham and Atletico’s Cristian Romero. While Bellingham was initially booked, the yellow card was later retracted following a VAR review, and Romero was cautioned instead. Mourinho had pleaded for a red card, claiming replays showed Romero’s studs making contact with Bellingham’s knee. The second incident concerned a challenge by Atletico’s Lee Kang-in on Fede Valverde, which Mourinho insisted warranted a straight dismissal.
Regarding the officiating staff, Mourinho expressed a desire to view the controversial calls as simple human error rather than something more sinister. “I want to believe they are simply mistakes, just as a coach makes mistakes, just as a player makes mistakes,” he stated. He also acknowledged the dismissal of teammate Dean Huijsen, which led to an Atletico penalty, noting that he had not yet reviewed the VAR footage of that specific play.
Despite the frustration, Mourinho was resolute in his support for his squad. “I liked my team as a unit. Even in the first half I really liked them, and in the second half it was obviously very difficult to get the ball and to stop Atleti’s possession. I liked their pride, I liked their determination, and it’s a good feeling for me to not be disappointed in my players.” Looking ahead, he maintained that the early season standings do not define the final outcome: “Under normal circumstances, it’s not about how it starts, it’s about how it ends.”
In response to Mourinho’s protest, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone dismissed the criticism, insisting his side controlled the derby. “The match I watched was an intense one, where I think we controlled it at all times,” the Argentine said. He praised his players’ collective defensive efforts and tactical discipline in limiting the threats posed by Real Madrid’s attack. Addressing Mourinho’s comments directly, Simeone emphasized the importance of professional respect, stating, “We have to know how to respect others, the referees, our colleagues and we all lose out. And when someone crosses that line of respect, it’s not right.”
Following the result, Atletico Madrid sits second in the La Liga table, five points behind leaders Barcelona, while Real Madrid occupies fourth place. The league is now scheduled to resume on Friday, 9 October, following the upcoming international break. The report also notes that in contrast, was ecstatic with the result and when asked to respond to Mourinho’s refereeing rant, said he was always respectful of everyone else’s opinions, diego Simeone. The report also notes that as coaches, and whether it’s Mourinho, [Hansi] Flick, [Manuel] Pellegrini, me, or anyone else, we need to be careful about what we say,” he said, i understand that we’re in a privileged position with a lot of public scrutiny. The report also notes that yet Mourinho was keen to stress that there was still a long way to go in the season.
