Atletico Madrid have issued a strong message to Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho over his comments towards officials after their derby game.
Real Madrid lost their second league game of the season as Atletico emerge 2-1 victorious on Sunday. Following the game, Mourinho used his press conference to launch a pointed attack on the officiating.
Mourinho even brought printed visual aids to illustrate his grievances.
Jose Mourinho believes Atletico Madrid player should have seen a red card for this challenge on Federico Valverde. (Photo by Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Atletico waited nearly a day before firing back, initially using social media to post a pointed graphic of Mourinho emerging from a printer with the caption: “Stop refereeing harassment now.”
However, the club’s frustration goes far beyond social media banter. The club officials expressed deep concern over the escalating rhetoric coming from the Santiago Bernabeu. “There are red lines that cannot be crossed, and they’ve done it again. You can’t be disrespectful,” a club representative told Marca.
The Atleti hierarchy expressed deep concern regarding the ongoing atmosphere in Spanish football, arguing that the relentless public pressure and targeted scrutiny aimed at match officials has placed La Liga referees in an increasingly impossible position.
Atleti cautioned: “The integrity of Spanish football is at stake. Either we stop them now or there will be no turning back.”
The defeat saw Madrid slip down to fourth place after seven rounds of action. Meanwhile, Diego Simeone’s side have climbed to second in the table, trailing only Barcelona.
