Jose Mourinho Blasts Refereeing and Claims Real Madrid Were Denied Justice After Atletico Madrid Derby Defeat

Jose Mourinho used photographic evidence during his post-match news conference to protest refereeing decisions following Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Mourinho waved images of two first-half tackles, arguing that the officials lost control during the heated capital derby on Sunday. Real Madrid were furious that Atletico defender Cristian Romero avoided a red card for a stamp on Jude Bellingham, and also protested a challenge by Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde. Five minutes after half-time, the visitors were reduced to 10 men.

Valverde completed the match but was later diagnosed by the club with severe trauma to his left ankle and will undergo further tests. Mourinho held up the images in a nearly five-minute rant, stating that those were two clear red cards and questioning how the match would have looked if justice had been done against 11 men playing nine.

Real defender Dean Huijsen was dismissed for bringing down Giuliano Simeone inside the area as the last defender, allowing Alejandro Grimaldo to score from the resulting penalty kick. Jonathan David extended Atletico's lead six minutes later, before Antonio Ruediger scored a late header from a free kick.

Mourinho praised his players for a first half full of character but sharply criticized referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias and the appointment process, noting the referee's lack of international experience and inability to handle the intense pressure. When asked about trailing Barcelona by six points, Mourinho called for a level playing field, though he stopped short of claiming the match was predetermined.

Atletico manager Diego Simeone responded by urging restraint in post-match comments, emphasizing the importance of respect while shifting focus to his team's strong defensive performance. With the victory, Atletico Madrid climbed above Real into second place in the standings with 16 points.