Real Madrid align with Jose Mourinho in escalating refereeing dispute after derby defeat

Real Madrid have adopted Jose Mourinho’s criticism of the officiating in the Madrid derby, with the club presenting the Portuguese manager as its main public voice on a growing refereeing dispute.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Mourinho’s comments and gestures at his post-match news conference reflected the club’s position on the decisions made during the defeat by Atletico de Madrid, rather than being an emotional response to one result.

The same message was reportedly shared across the club during and after the game: refereeing decisions had affected Real Madrid and taken the team out of the contest. Mourinho said his side had been “taken out of the match” and that the decisions “did not allow us to play”.

Real Madrid had already made its concerns known before the derby began. On Sunday morning, the club objected to the appointment of Ortiz Arias as referee, referring to his previous dealings with Barcelona players. Real Madrid’s official channel reported the complaint, indicating that concern about the appointment existed before the match and was not simply a reaction to events during the game.

Mourinho becomes club’s main spokesman

Mourinho is now playing a central role in communicating Real Madrid’s position externally. AS reports that the club regards the first-team manager as its main reference point when responding to issues affecting the team, both at news conferences and in public comments.

That represents a contrast with Mourinho’s previous spell at Real Madrid, when the manager’s statements in media briefings did not always match positions expressed elsewhere within the club. On some occasions, those alternative views were voiced by Jorge Valdano from the stands.

The relationship now appears more closely aligned. Mourinho speaks publicly, while the club does not issue a contrasting message. After seven rounds of La Liga, Real Madrid believe a series of refereeing incidents has developed into an issue requiring an open response, a position made particularly clear following the Atletico derby.

The controversy was not limited to Mourinho’s remarks. Audio recordings later released by the Spanish federation showed reviews of several disputed incidents, including Cote Romero’s challenge on Jude Bellingham and the penalty that was initially awarded before being changed to a red card for Dean Huijsen.

The challenge by Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde was another incident Mourinho referred to after the match.

Attendance at coaches’ meeting uncertain

The dispute comes as the Spanish federation prepares its annual meeting with managers from the first and second divisions, scheduled for Tuesday. Organised by the coaches’ group, the meeting allows managers to raise concerns and observations about refereeing at the beginning of the season.

Mourinho had been expected to be one of the voices capable of presenting a view after the controversy surrounding the derby. However, his attendance had not been confirmed.

Real Madrid had also shown little enthusiasm for taking part after the events against Atletico. The meeting, according to the report, will not be specifically devoted to discussing referees, as has happened at previous gatherings.