Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho sharply criticized the referee following yesterday’s match against Atlético Madrid. The “Los Blancos” played with ten men for most of the second half and ultimately suffered a 1-2 defeat.
“Atlético should have received two clear red cards! Just imagine what it would have been like to play fifty minutes with a numerical advantage against nine opponents.
I have to commend my players, who gave their all and delivered a very strong and confident performance in the first half. After that, of course, not only Atlético fans but also the refereeing committee should be celebrating.
Everything was very strange. Firstly, the referee was announced a week before the match, although I was told this should have been revealed only 24 hours prior. Secondly, the official is 41 years old and has no international experience. The poor guy came here and couldn’t handle the pressure, which I call the pressure of the 80s—a kind of pressure rarely seen today.
There were two red cards against Elche, and we still won; a red card today is somewhat more complicated. This situation combined an inexperienced referee, who had only officiated minor matches, with a VAR official who has a long history. Congratulations to the referee appointment committee.
I want to believe the referees simply made mistakes. Just as a coach or player can err, I want to think the refereeing committee also made errors. The poor men—they made mistakes by sending to a Real Madrid match a 41-year-old who had never faced such a situation, alongside another referee with a very extensive background,” the Portuguese manager was quoted as saying.
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