In Madrid, Atlético’s 2-1 derby win over Real Madrid in the seventh round of the Spanish championship left the result sharing space with a fierce argument over discipline, video review and the limits of post-match criticism.
Key moments in the derby
- Atlético beat their city rivals 2-1, having produced what Diego Simeone described as a strong collective defensive display against Real Madrid’s leading players.
- Before half-time, Cuti Romero caught Jude Bellingham on the knee. Referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias reviewed the incident at the pitchside monitor but kept Romero on the field.
- A later challenge saw Kang-In Lee step on Federico Valverde’s left ankle. No red card followed for the Atlético player.
- Early in the second half, Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen brought down Giuliano Simeone inside the penalty area. Ortiz Arias initially issued a yellow card, then changed it to red after a VAR review.
Real Madrid anger over refereeing
José Mourinho brought footage of the two Atlético incidents into his post-match media appearance and argued that both should have resulted in dismissals. He said Real had already faced difficulties with 11 players against 10, and suggested the contest could have been very different had Atlético spent around 50 minutes with nine men.
Real Madrid also issued a formal complaint over the officiating, calling Ortiz Arias’s performance poor and maintaining that the decisions involving Romero and Kang-In Lee had a decisive effect on the derby’s outcome.
Simeone calls for restraint
Simeone did not want to extend the debate over the referee, but answered Mourinho’s remarks with a plea for greater care in public comments.
“We have to watch what we say and show respect for others,” the Atlético coach said. “Everyone loses, but it becomes dangerous when somebody crosses that line. It does not mean everything is permitted just because your name is Mourinho, Flick or Simeone.”
The Argentine instead pointed to the work done by his own side without the ball. “It was a very good team performance,” he said. “We defended very well against outstanding players and managed to contain them.”
