Atletico Madrid have pushed back against the complaints lodged by Real Madrid’s manager, Jose Mourinho, regarding the officiating in Sunday’s derby. Mourinho arrived at the post‑match press conference clutching printed sheets that highlighted two moments he believed should have resulted in red cards for Atletico players. The former Chelsea boss accused the officials of making decisive mistakes that, in his view, altered the outcome of a match Real ultimately lost 2‑1.
In the days that followed, Atletico took to their X (formerly Twitter) account to voice their own dissent. The first post featured a short video of a piece of paper being printed with the slogan "#StopAcosoArbitalYA," which translates to “stop referee harassment now.” A second post displayed a still image of Mourinho at the press conference, overlaid with the same hashtag, signalling the club’s refusal to accept the criticism without rebuttal. Mourinho’s press conference was dominated by two photographs that he held up for the media. The images showed a challenge by Atletico defender Cristian Romero on Real’s Jude Bellingham and a separate incident involving Lee Kang‑in on Federico Valverde.
Mourinho argued that both actions warranted straight red cards. He was particularly incensed that Romero was not expelled after a stamp that appeared to target Bellingham’s knee, and he also lamented the lack of any sanction for Lee’s tackle on Valverde, which occurred just after Real were reduced to ten men five minutes into the second half. "We could skip the press conference because the story of the match is right here," Mourinho said, brandishing the photos at the start of what turned into a nearly five‑minute tirade.
"Those were two clear red cards. The difficulties we faced after the sending‑off – 11 against 10 – we can only imagine what fifty minutes of 11 against nine would have looked like if justice had been served." The match itself saw Real defender Dean Huijsen sent off after bringing down Giuliano Simeone inside the box, allowing Alejandro Grimaldo to convert a low spot‑kick. Six minutes later, Jonathan David doubled Atletico’s lead, while Antonio Rudiger headed in a late free‑kick to narrow the gap for Real. Despite the loss, Mourinho praised his players for what he described as a first half "full of class and great character," but he reserved his sharpest criticism for referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias and the officials responsible for his appointment.
"They have given a 41‑year‑old referee with no international experience a crucial match – it’s certainly not because he’s a top‑class official," Mourinho asserted. "The poor man was under immense pressure, the kind of pressure you only saw in the 1980s, and he simply couldn’t cope with it." When asked about Real’s six‑point deficit to Barcelona, Mourinho responded pointedly: "If they just leave us in peace and let us compete on a level playing field with everyone else, we still have a long way to go. I don’t want to go as far as saying this was set up… I want to believe it was just a mistake." Real Madrid later released an official match report that echoed many of Mourinho’s points, describing the encounter as "marred by poor officiating." The La Liga side claimed that Ortiz Arias failed to dismiss Romero for the alleged stamp on Bellingham, even after a video review, and also ignored a clear challenge by Lee on Valverde.
According to the report, these two non‑calls were pivotal, shaping a game that turned in Atletico’s favour in the second half. The report detailed the sequence of events: in the 35th minute, a contested ball saw Bellingham reach the ball before Romero, who then allegedly planted his studs into Bellingham’s left knee. Ortiz Arias initially booked the Real player but, after being prompted by referee supervisor Trujillo Suárez, reviewed the incident on a monitor. The review led to the cancellation of Bellingham’s card and a yellow card for Romero instead of a red.
Nine minutes later, Lee Kang‑in’s challenge on Valverde, which involved a studs‑on‑ankle contact, was also not penalised – neither a yellow nor a red – despite Ortiz Arias being in close proximity to the incident. Atletico’s social‑media response, the hashtag campaign, and the club’s own statements all underline a growing frustration within the Spanish game about perceived inconsistencies in refereeing, especially in high‑profile fixtures such as the Madrid derby.
Both clubs have now called for clearer guidelines and perhaps a review of referee appointments for future derbies, arguing that the integrity of the competition depends on impartial and consistent officiating. The controversy also reignites the broader debate about the use of video‑assistant referee (VAR) technology in La Liga.
While VAR is intended to correct clear and obvious errors, critics argue that its application remains uneven, leaving managers like Mourinho feeling that their teams are disadvantaged by subjective decisions. The incident may prompt the league’s governing body to revisit its protocols, ensuring that referees receive adequate support and that post‑match reviews are transparent. As the season progresses, Real Madrid will look to close the gap with Barcelona, while Atletico seeks to maintain pressure on the league leaders. Both sides will undoubtedly keep a close eye on future referee performances, hoping that the next derby will be decided by the players on the pitch rather than by contentious officiating decisions.