Atleti responds to Mourinho’s referee criticism after Madrid derby

# What happened Atlético Madrid beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Estadio Metropolitano. Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David scored for Atlético. The result lifted Atlético to second in LaLiga, with Real Madrid trailing in fourth going into the international break.

# The controversy Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho criticised referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias after the match. Mourinho presented printed images at his post-match press conference and argued there were two incidents that should have been red cards for Atlético. He said the referee was not equipped to handle the pressure of the game.

The two incidents Mourinho focused on were:

• Dean Huijsen's challenge, which led to a red card for denying Giuliano Simeone a clear goalscoring opportunity. Huijsen was sent off during the match.
• A high challenge by Lee Kang-In that struck Federico Valverde on the ankle. Valverde required medical checks and Mourinho said that challenge merited a red card.

# Atlético's response Atlético pushed back on Mourinho's public criticism. On Monday, Atlético's club account on X posted an image of Mourinho at his press conference with the caption: "Stop referee harassment now." The club used the hashtag #StopAcosoArbitralYA in a related post.

Manager Diego Simeone also addressed the matter directly. He said it was important that referees are protected and told Mourinho: "Not everything goes, even for Mourinho."

# Context and recent form

# Why this matters The exchange highlights immediate tensions after a heated derby and draws attention to how managers handle criticism of match officials. Mourinho's decision to display images publicly escalated the dispute beyond a standard post-match complaint. Atlético's social-media reply and Simeone's comments signal a desire to push back against public targeting of referees.

# Practical takeaways for readers

• The match outcome stands: Atlético 2, Real Madrid 1, with Grimaldo and Jonathan David on the scoresheet.
• Mourinho publicly highlighted referee decisions and used printed images at his press conference to make his case.
• Atlético responded through its official X account and Simeone's remarks, urging an end to what they describe as harassment of referees.

# Bottom line A derby result and a couple of contentious officiating decisions have provoked a public spat between the clubs' camps. Atlético has framed the public criticism as harassment and urged it to stop, while Mourinho insists the incidents merited stronger sanctions.