Mourinho Blames Referees Committee for Defeat

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho attacked the refereeing committee following his team’s 2-1 derby defeat to hosts and rivals Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the seventh round of the Spanish league. Real Madrid dropped to third place, six points behind leaders and defending champions Barcelona, who remain unbeaten after stumbling at the Metropolitano Stadium.

The royal club expressed dismay over two challenges by Argentine defender Cristian Romero and South Korean striker Kang-in Lee on Englishman Jude Bellingham and Uruguayan Federico Valverde in the first half, with Mourinho insisting both incidents warranted red cards. Meanwhile, Real Madrid began the second half with ten men after their defensive stalwart, international defender Dean Houser, committed a foul on Atletico defender Julian Simeone, son of coach Diego, which resulted in a penalty.

Speaking to journalists while holding a printed sheet featuring images of the controversial incidents, Mourinho said, “We could have skipped the press conference because the entire story of the match is here.” He added, “These were two clear incidents deserving of sending-offs.”

Mourinho claimed that referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias “was unable to handle the pressure” at the Metropolitano, directing his criticism at the Spanish refereeing committee. He said, “The body that should truly be happy is the referees’ appointment committee, because everything was very strange.” He continued, “They appointed a 41-year-old referee who has never become a FIFA referee, so it’s obvious this isn’t because he’s a top-tier official.”

Mourinho also stated that Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Daniel Jesus Trujillo has a “history” with Real Madrid. He added, “This combination... a limited-capacity referee who has only managed minor matches, and a VAR official with a long history... well, I congratulate the referees’ appointment committee.”

The Portuguese manager clarified that he had “not seen” the footage of Houser’s sending-off. In February 2025, Real Madrid filed an official complaint with the Spanish Football Federation regarding refereeing, describing it as “biased” and “completely lacking credibility.” The club’s official television channel continues to frequently criticize refereeing performances in Spain.

Real Madrid did not create any significant chances during a dull first half against Atletico, but Mourinho expressed satisfaction with his players’ performance nonetheless. He said, “They delivered a high-quality first half with great character.” Mourinho believed his team still had a good chance of winning the league title if they received fair refereeing treatment. He concluded, “If they let us work in peace and quiet, and allow us to compete on equal footing with everyone, the road is still long.”

The match was characterized by competitiveness and strong physical challenges but lacked the attacking flair expected given the star-studded lineups, particularly in Real Madrid’s attack, which included Vinicius, Frenchman Kylian Mbappe, and Bellingham, whose threat was largely neutralized.

The game erupted with energy at the start of the second half when Houser pulled Simeone’s shirt as the Atletico striker broke away toward goal, prompting the referee to award a penalty to Atletico. After reviewing the incident via VAR, Houser received a red card, while Grimaldo converted the penalty to beat the Belgian giant and former Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Mourinho quickly made substitutions, removing Vinicius and Arda Guler, who had not met expectations, and bringing in the club’s record signing, Youssouf Dayoum, alongside Rudiger. However, Atletico struck next, as David capitalized on a precise through ball from Simeone to score his third goal in three matches.

Real Madrid managed to narrow the deficit when Rudiger rose to meet Silva’s cross and headed the ball into the net, but the goal came too late to prevent the defeat.

In other matches, Villarreal, third from last season, continued their resurgence with a second consecutive victory, defeating visitors Levante 3-1. Valencia returned to the losing track with a 2-3 defeat away to Real Sociedad.