Mourinho absent as Spanish referees call for respect after Madrid derby row

Fran Soto, head of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees, has urged club managers to show greater respect and empathy towards officials following the controversy surrounding the Madrid derby between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid.

Soto delivered the message at a meeting of the Coaches’ Committee in Las Rozas on Tuesday, where the fallout from the latest derby dominated discussions.

Speaking in his role as head of the refereeing body, Soto stressed the importance of respecting the referee’s authority and called on managers to show “empathy as people responsible for their teams”.

He said that approach was necessary to continue humanising the image of referees and to underline that officials are part of the wider football system.

A number of La Liga managers attended the meeting, including Hansi Flick, who left early to take charge of Barcelona’s evening training session, as well as Diego Simeone and Edin Terzic.

Representatives from Segunda Division clubs were also present, alongside managers who are not currently employed by a club, including Eder Sarabia and Marcelino Garcia Toral.

However, several prominent names were absent, with Jose Mourinho the most notable. Manuel Pellegrini and Jose Bordalas were also missing, according to Marca.

Although Mourinho did not attend, his comments after the Madrid derby remained central to the debate. The Portuguese coach had directly criticised referee Ortiz Arias following the match.

Mourinho comments remain in focus

As the relationship between managers and referees was discussed, representatives of the officials’ organisation highlighted the pressure referees face.

The intervention came after Mourinho’s post-match remarks, while officials from La Liga also called for every fixture and referee to be treated with equal importance.

Victor Martin Ortega, head of La Liga’s office, said: “The 10 matches in every round, and the 10 referees who officiate them, are equally important.”

That statement was viewed as an indirect response to Mourinho’s criticism of Ortiz Arias’ lack of international experience.

After the derby, Mourinho had strongly attacked the refereeing committee, saying: “I want to congratulate the refereeing committee that chooses the referees. First, it is strange that news was leaked weeks ago saying this referee had been selected for the match, because referees are usually chosen in the same week as the game.”

He added: “Then comes this combination: a video assistant referee who has a strange history with Real Madrid time and time again, alongside a weak, inexperienced referee who has only officiated small matches. Poor refereeing committee, they made a mistake. Poor things.”

Complaint against Mourinho dropped

Mundo Deportivo reported that the Spanish Football Referees’ Association, working with the legal department of the Technical Committee of Referees, had considered filing a complaint with the Disciplinary Committee over Mourinho’s comments.

The case could have been passed to the relevant department of the Spanish Football Federation, potentially leading to disciplinary action against the Portuguese coach of Real Madrid.

However, after discussions lasting throughout Monday, the referees’ association ultimately decided not to submit the complaint.