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Diego Simeone labeled José Mourinho's reaction to the officiating controversies that overshadowed Sunday's Madrid derby loss to crosstown rivals Atlético as "unacceptable," accusing his counterpart of "crossing the line."
Real Madrid, as a club, released a statement shortly after the final whistle condemning the "terrible refereeing" of Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias. Mourinho then arrived at his post-match press conference brandishing printed images he presented as 'evidence' that Atlético should have received two red cards.
Cristian Romero's foot landing on a sliding Jude Bellingham's knee, and Lee Kang-in's studs coming down on Federico Valverde's ankle. Romero received a yellow card following a VAR review that overturned the card originally issued to Bellingham, while Lee went unpunished — a decision made even more bitter by the injury Valverde sustained. AS has since reported that the Technical Committee of Referees believes Lee should have been dismissed.
Mourinho described Ortiz Arias as a "poor guy" who "couldn't handle the pressure" of the derby, citing his lack of experience and readiness for a high-stakes, frequently ill-tempered fixture of this nature. He reserved his sharpest criticism for Daniel Jesús Trujillo, the VAR official whom Mourinho claimed "doesn't have any pressure" operating from the remote base in Las Rozas, away from the stadium.
Notably, the only red card issued during the match was shown to Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen — something Mourinho appeared largely unbothered by, as it came after the key flashpoints had already occurred.
Mourinho extended his sardonic "congratulations" to the Referee Appointment Committee.
"If they leave us alone, let us play, and allow us to compete on a level playing field with everyone, there's a long road ahead — a very long one. I don't want to go as far as saying this was premeditated. I don't want to believe that. I want to believe they simply made errors, just as a coach or a player can make errors. I want to believe the refereeing committee made a mistake."
Simeone Calls for Respect
For Simeone, Mourinho's heated response was sorely lacking in respect. The Argentine viewed both himself and the Portuguese manager as figures carrying significant responsibility within La Liga, alongside Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick and veteran Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini.
His underlying message was clear: Mourinho ought to know better.
"We respect everyone's views, but we must remember that Flick, Mourinho, Pellegrini and Simeone occupy a privileged position, with enormous visibility as coaches, and we need to be mindful of what we say," Simeone stated.
"We must respect the referee and our fellow coaches. When you overstep that boundary of respect, regardless of who you are — Mourinho, Simeone, Flick or Pellegrini — it's unacceptable; you simply cannot cross that line."
Simeone chose not to weigh in on the specific incidents, noting that the play "already happened" and suggesting that nothing is gained by continuing to "dwell" on such matters.