Atletico Madrid have responded to Jose Mourinho after the Real Madrid coach arrived at his post-match press conference with printed images of two disputed refereeing decisions. The club told Real Madrid to “stop referee harassment now” in a social media post.
The message was posted by Atletico's official account alongside the hashtag #StopRefereeHarassmentNOW after their 2-1 win over Real Madrid in the Madrid derby at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Huijsen Red Card Swings Madrid Derby In Atletico's Favour
Real Madrid were reduced to ten men in the second half when Dean Huijsen was sent off for pulling back Giuliano Simeone inside the penalty area and denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Alejandro Grimaldo converted the resulting penalty, and Jonathan David doubled Atletico's lead shortly afterward. Antonio Rudiger's late header gave Real Madrid hope, but the visitors could not find an equaliser.
It was Mourinho's first Madrid derby since returning to Real Madrid, with his side ending the night on the losing side.
Why Mourinho Printed Photos Of Two Disputed Red-Card Incidents
Mourinho said two first-half incidents should have resulted in red cards for Atletico players before Huijsen's dismissal. He held up printed A4 images of both incidents during his press conference.
“We could skip the press conference because the story of the match is right here,” Mourinho said, referring to the printed images, according to Sky Sports.
He said Real Madrid were left playing 11 against 10 after Huijsen's red card and questioned what could have happened if Atletico had also been reduced to nine men.
The two incidents involved Cristian Romero's challenge on Jude Bellingham, which referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias downgraded from a red card to a yellow after a VAR review, and a challenge by Lee Kang-in on Fede Valverde that went unpunished at the time.
Mourinho also questioned the appointment of Ortiz Arias for the fixture. He told The National that the referee had been confirmed a week before the match instead of the usual 24 hours and said Ortiz Arias lacked the experience needed to officiate a Madrid derby.
Spain's Refereeing Committee Splits Verdict On Both Incidents
Spain's Technical Committee of Referees has also reviewed the two disputed incidents, according to The National.
The committee said Lee Kang-in should have been sent off for his challenge on Valverde but agreed with the decision to dismiss Huijsen, confirming that he pulled back Giuliano Simeone's arm inside the penalty area.
That leaves Mourinho's complaint partly validated and partly rejected by the sport's own governing body for officiating.
Simeone Declines To Engage With Mourinho's Referee Claims
Diego Simeone declined to engage with the officiating debate when asked about it after the match.
"You're looking for a headline. I don't need that headline," Simeone said, as quoted by GOAL, adding that he preferred to discuss the match his team played rather than the story reporters wanted.
Neither Real Madrid nor Mourinho has publicly responded to Atletico's post.
The refereeing committee's mixed ruling, backing one of Mourinho's complaints while rejecting the other, is likely to keep the officiating debate alive around both clubs' upcoming fixtures, even as focus shifts back to the league table.
