In the seventh round of the Spanish championship, Real Madrid lost to Atletico Madrid 1:2 in the Madrid derby, which became one of the most discussed matches of the round. After the final whistle, the head coach of the "Blancos," Jose Mourinho, showed journalists printouts with photographs of controversial episodes in which, in his opinion, the opponents' players deserved a sending-off. The Portuguese stated that Real Madrid should have spent about 50 minutes of the match in a numerical advantage of eleven against nine, yet the match referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias did not show a single red card to the "Matrazeros'" players.
Printout performance: Mourinho presented the "evidence"
The Portuguese coach came to the press conference in an unusual mood for a football manager — with ready-made photographs in his hands. "We could even have skipped this press conference. Here they are. Two obvious red cards. We should have spent 50 minutes of the match in an eleven-against-nine situation," Mourinho declared, showing the journalists the printouts. According to him, it was precisely these two episodes that determined the outcome of the match and deprived Real Madrid of a real advantage for most of the second half.
Two episodes the coach considered worthy of a sending-off
The first of the controversial moments, according to Mourinho, was Atletico Madrid striker Lee Kang-in's challenge on Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde's ankle. The second episode, which the coach drew attention to, involved Jude Bellingham — in Mourinho's version, in this situation the "Matrazeros'" player also deserved a straight red card. The "Blancos'" head coach criticized the performance of the refereeing team and stated that the controversial decisions influenced the course of the match.
The only red card — in favor of Atletico Madrid
The irony of the situation was that the only red card in this match was shown to Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen in the 52nd minute. Thus, the "Blancos" not only failed to gain a numerical advantage but also found themselves a man down themselves, which, in Mourinho's logic, made the outcome of the match even more ambiguous. At the same time, the Portuguese emphasized that his players gave everything on the pitch and demonstrated "a lot of class and character" in the first half. "The only thing I can do right now is hug my players. I prepared the team for the match with the expectation that in the second half we would be able to win," the coach added.
League table: Atletico Madrid overtook Real Madrid
The victory in the Madrid derby allowed Atletico Madrid to overtake Real Madrid in the Spanish championship table. After seven matches played, the "Matrazeros" have 16 points to their credit and occupy second place. The "Blancos" have collected 15 points and are placed in fourth position. A one-point gap at the start of the season may prove decisive in the title race, and the scandal over the refereeing only intensifies the tension between the two Madrid clubs.
