Jose Mourinho criticizes the refereeing decisions afterwards
Why it matters
Real Madrid's defeat in the derby against Atletico has a significant impact on their position in the La Liga table. With two defeats already accumulated this season, the pressure is mounting on Mourinho and his team to make up ground and keep their title hopes alive. The contested refereeing decisions could further fuel the debate on justice in Spanish football.
Context
The defeat highlighted Real Madrid's difficulties in managing the pressure of a derby, especially in a La Liga context where every point counts. Mourinho, known for his ability to motivate players, will have to find a way to turn frustration into determination for the next matches.
Key points
- Jose Mourinho criticizes the refereeing decisions afterwards.
- Jose Mourinho questioned refereeing decisions after Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat to Atletico, claiming two dismissals were fair.
- Jose Mourinho prints out Atletico Madrid 'red card' incidents after Real Madrid lose derby - BBC Sport.
Mourinho accused the referees of making crucial errors, saying his team should have benefited from two red cards during the first half. This was Real Madrid's second defeat of the season, following the previous one against Real Betis. "We can skip the press conference because the story of the match is here," Mourinho said, showing the images to journalists. "Those two were clear red cards. Considering the difficulties we faced playing 11 against 10, we can only imagine what it would have been like to play 50 minutes at 11 against 9. I'll just have to hug my players, who gave everything and showed great class and character in the first half."
In stark contrast, Atletico manager Diego Simeone was enthusiastic about the result and, responding to Mourinho's accusations, said he always respects other people's opinions. "I understand that we are in a privileged position with a lot of public attention, as coaches, and that, whether Mourinho, Hansi Flick, Manuel Pellegrini, myself or anyone else, we have to be careful what we say," Simeone explained.
Mourinho also highlighted that the refereeing decisions had a major impact on the match, insisting that his team showed character despite the adversity. The first incident mentioned by Mourinho occurred in the 37th minute, when Real's Jude Bellingham and Atletico's Cristian Romero collided for a ball. On that occasion, Bellingham received a yellow card, but Mourinho requested a red card for Romero, claiming that the foul was dangerous. The images show that Romero hit Bellingham's knee with his cleats. After VAR review, Bellingham's yellow was overturned and Romero was given a yellow.

The second controversial episode was a tackle by Lee Kang-in on Fede Valverde, which Mourinho felt deserved a straight red card. Mourinho also questioned the assignment of referees, expressing a desire to believe the decisions were mistakes and unintentional.
Despite the defeat, Mourinho praised his players' commitment and appreciated their performance, particularly in the first half. "I liked my team as a unit. I liked them a lot in the first half too, and in the second half it was obviously difficult to stop Atletico's possession. I appreciated their pride, their determination, and it's a great feeling not to be let down by my players."
Mourinho also addressed the sending off of Dean Huijsen, who awarded a penalty to Atletico, admitting he had not yet seen the VAR replay. The defeat leaves Real Madrid fourth in the table, with Atletico second, five points behind league leaders Barcelona. However, Mourinho was keen to underline that there is still a lot to do in the season: "Under normal circumstances, it's not how it starts, but how it ends."
Simeone rejected the idea that the result was overshadowed by the refereeing debate, saying his team controlled the match. “The match I saw was intense, and I think we controlled it at all times,” said the Argentine. "We faced an opponent with incredible transitions and amazing players who play for their team and do it very well. We controlled almost every transition they could have."
La Liga will resume on Friday 9 October after the international break.
What happens now
Real Madrid will have to regroup quickly to face the next challenges in La Liga, trying to capitalize on the positive performances despite the negative result. Mourinho could make tactical changes to improve the team's resilience and deal with criticism. The next match will be crucial for the club's morale and season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of the derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid?
The final score was 2-1 in favor of Atletico Madrid.
What is the impact of Real Madrid's defeat on the La Liga standings?
This was the second defeat of the season for Real Madrid, which could affect their position in the table.
When will Real Madrid play their next match?
The article does not specify the date of Real Madrid's next match.
Who criticized the refereeing decisions after the match?
Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid coach, criticized the refereeing decisions after the defeat.
Which players were mentioned by Mourinho regarding the refereeing incidents?
Mourinho mentioned that two Atletico Madrid players should have received red cards.
Related Articles
- Raphinha achieves a perfect 10 | The evaluations of the s
- Florentino Pérez will fly to Ceuta on Friday to show his
- 🚨 The starting lineups for the Madrid derby


