Mourinho Confronts Refereeing After Real Madrid's Defeat to Atletico Madrid

After Real Madrid's 1-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in the recent derby, Portuguese coach José Mourinho chose an unconventional way to explain his view of the match. Instead of waiting for the usual press conference, he handed journalists an A4 sheet containing screenshots that documented two refereeing decisions that clearly affected the game.

The document that shifted the discussion

The paper presented by Mourinho showed images of two clear red‑card incidents in the first half, prompting the coach to ask the media to focus on this evidence before any commentary. He said, "We can skip the press conference, because the story of the match lies here," highlighting that the incident was more than isolated mistakes, it shaped the final result.

Mourinho noted that the dismissals left his side with ten players against eleven, adding, "It was a clear double‑red; considering the difficulties later when we played 11 against 10, we can only imagine how it would have been if we played 50 minutes with 11 against 9." This observation underscored how refereeing decisions can tilt the balance of power on the pitch.

Analysis of the two dismissals

The first screenshot displayed Christian Romero's challenge on Jude Bellingham in the 37th minute, where the video showed his boot spikes brushing Bellingham's knee, leading to a yellow card after the referee reviewed the play on the screen. The second image captured Lee Kang‑in's challenge on Víctor Valverde, which Mourinho considered deserving a straight red.

From the coach's perspective, these were not merely isolated errors but had a huge impact on Real Madrid's chances to recover. The team had to adjust tactics after the dismissal of Dan Hoesen, allowing Atletico to exploit the numerical advantage and secure victory through goals by Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David, with a late consolation goal from Antonio Rodiger.

Comprehensive criticism of officiating

Mourinho's critique extended beyond the decisions themselves to referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias and the VAR system. He said, "The body that should be happy is the referees' appointment committee, because the whole thing was bizarre," noting that Arias was appointed a week in advance, unlike the usual 24‑hour notice.

The coach added that Arias, 41, had never refereed internationally, making the level of performance uncertain. He explained that the match pressure was so high that referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias had to call upon Daniel Jesús Trochío, the VAR official, to review one incident, but he did not intervene in the clearer second case.

Thus, Mourinho emphasized that lack of experience and pressure could explain the mistakes witnessed, creating an environment reminiscent of the 1980s when refereeing decisions were more erratic.

In conclusion, Mourinho praised his players for showing class and strong character in the first half, stating that their effort was essential despite the negative result. He added that the team will learn from this experience and prepare for the upcoming matches after the twenty‑day international break.