Madrid’s derby has travelled beyond the final whistle. After Atlético de Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the seventh round of the Spanish league, the debate moved from the pitch to press rooms and social media, with José Mourinho’s refereeing complaints answered first by Diego Simeone and then by Atlético itself.
A derby dispute carried into the week
Mourinho appeared before the media after Sunday’s match, held on the 20th, with printed images of incidents he believed should have led to Atlético players being sent off. The Real Madrid coach used the photographs to underline his anger at the refereeing decisions in the capital derby.
His criticism went beyond the individual calls. Mourinho delivered strong accusations towards the refereeing commission of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, arguing that the key moments had worked against his side in Atlético’s 2-1 win.
- Atlético de Madrid defeated Real Madrid 2-1.
- The match was part of the seventh round of the Spanish championship.
- Mourinho displayed pictures from two disputed plays after the game.
- Real Madrid felt both incidents could have resulted in red cards for Atlético players.
Atlético answer with a pointed social-media post
Atlético chose a deliberately ironic response to the Portuguese coach’s post-match presentation. The club posted a video showing leaflets being printed, carrying an image of Mourinho at his press conference alongside the message: “Stop the harassment of referees.”
The post brought a fresh edge to a rivalry already defined by the narrow result, turning Mourinho’s use of printed evidence into the centrepiece of Atlético’s reply.
Simeone calls for restraint
Simeone had already addressed Mourinho’s remarks by urging greater care from those speaking in the aftermath of defeat. The Atlético manager said that status and reputation should not place anyone beyond the limits of respect.
“We have to be careful about what we say and know how to respect others,” Simeone said. “We all lose. But when someone crosses that line of respect, it becomes dangerous. Whether your name is Mourinho, Flick or Simeone, not everything is acceptable.”
