Real Madrid’s Mourinho Questions Early Referee Announcement for Atlético

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho addressed refereeing concerns during a press briefing at Valdebebas on 20 September 2026, one day prior to the club’s highly anticipated derby against Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano.

He acknowledged his longstanding reluctance to discuss match officials before games, yet returned to the topic after being reminded of earlier remarks regarding penalty decisions in the previous round involving Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.

“What about the penalties that were awarded last week?” Mourinho asked. “It is too late now. A round of matches has ended, and we can talk about why Elche finished the match with 11 players.”

Referee appointment timing draws scrutiny

Mourinho highlighted the unusual timing of the official’s designation, stating: “It is a little strange that we knew the referee of tomorrow's match a week ago.”

Despite that observation, he affirmed trust in the appointment, saying: “I prefer to say that if he was appointed, it is because he has the competence and sufficient experience for a match of this degree of emotional importance.”

He reiterated his standard position: “I do not like to talk about referees before the match. I have complete confidence in him before the match, and we will see what happens afterwards.”

The phrase “We’ll see what happens” appeared as a standalone line in the source material, attributed to Abdelmawgood Samir.