Jose Mourinho walked into the post‑match press conference carrying an A4 sheet of printed screenshots, arguing that two incidents in the first half should have seen Atletico Madrid players sent off. The 2‑1 defeat to Atletico Madrid marked Real Madrid’s second loss of the season, following a 1‑0 loss to Real Betis earlier in September.
During the conference, Mourinho displayed the images and accused the officials of making “key errors” that left his team playing 11 against 10. He said the two incidents, involving Jude Bellingham and Cristian Romero in the 37th minute and Lee Kang‑in on Fede Valverde, warranted straight red cards. Mourinho added that the missed dismissals had a “significant impact” on the match, noting the difficulty of playing 11 against 9 for the remaining 50 minutes.
Despite the criticism, Mourinho praised his players’ character and determination. He said, “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.” He also admitted he had not yet reviewed the VAR replay that led to Dean Huijsen’s dismissal and the resulting penalty for Atletico.
Atletico’s manager, Diego Simeone, responded by stressing respect for all opinions and the importance of maintaining decorum. He said, “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.” Simeone also dismissed the idea that the refereeing debate would shadow the result, claiming his team controlled the contest at all times.
Real Madrid now sit fourth in La Liga, five points behind leaders Barcelona. Mourinho emphasized that the season is long and that “under normal circumstances, it’s not about how it starts, it’s about how it ends.” La Liga will resume on Friday 9 October following the international break.
