The Madrid derby delivered drama on the pitch and an extraordinary scene in the press room, as José Mourinho arrived at his post-match media conference carrying printed images of two incidents that he believed should have resulted in Atlético Madrid players being sent off.
Real Madrid had just suffered a 2-1 defeat against Atlético at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on September 20, 2026. Alejandro Grimaldo’s penalty and Jonathan David’s second-half goal overturned a tense contest after Dean Huijsen was dismissed for Real Madrid.
Antonio Rüdiger scored late to give Real Madrid hope, but Atlético held on for the victory.
The result itself would have been enough to generate discussion, but Mourinho’s decision to bring visual evidence of the incidents he disputed transformed the aftermath into one of the most talked-about moments of the derby.
The Real Madrid coach argued that two challenges by Atlético players deserved red cards. He subsequently used printed screenshots to explain his frustration, putting the refereeing decisions at the centre of his post-match analysis.
A Derby That Changed After Half-Time
The first half of the Atlético Madrid derby was closely contested, with neither side able to break the deadlock.
The match changed dramatically shortly after the interval.
Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen was shown a red card following a VAR review after bringing down Giuliano Simeone inside the penalty area. Atlético were awarded a penalty, and Alejandro Grimaldo converted from the spot to put the home side ahead.
Only several minutes later, Jonathan David doubled Atlético’s advantage.
The Canadian forward finished after a move involving Giuliano Simeone, giving Diego Simeone’s team a two-goal cushion while Real Madrid were playing with ten men.
Real eventually responded through Antonio Rüdiger, whose late header reduced the deficit, but Atlético managed the closing stages and secured a 2-1 victory.
The numerical disadvantage was a major factor in the second half, and Mourinho’s post-match complaints focused heavily on what he believed had happened before Huijsen’s dismissal.
Mourinho Arrives With Printed Evidence
Mourinho’s press conference immediately became a major talking point. Instead of simply discussing the result, the Portuguese coach arrived with A4 sheets containing screenshots from two first-half incidents.
The first involved Cristian Romero and Jude Bellingham.
Romero had made contact with Bellingham during a challenge, and the incident was reviewed by VAR. The decision ultimately resulted in Romero receiving a yellow card rather than a red.
Mourinho believed the punishment was insufficient.
The second image concerned Lee Kang-in’s challenge on Federico Valverde.
Again, Mourinho argued that the incident should have resulted in a sending-off.
By physically displaying the photographs, Mourinho made his argument visually rather than relying only on verbal criticism.
He told journalists that the images represented the story of the match from his perspective.
The presentation was unmistakably theatrical, but it also reflected the seriousness with which Mourinho viewed the decisions.
The Two Incidents Mourinho Highlighted
Mourinho’s first point centred on the challenge involving Romero and Bellingham.
The incident became controversial because of the contact between Romero’s studs and Bellingham. The referee reviewed the situation before maintaining a yellow-card punishment for the Atlético defender.
Mourinho believed the challenge crossed the threshold for a dismissal.
His second example involved Lee Kang-in and Valverde.
The Real Madrid manager argued that the Atlético midfielder’s challenge was sufficiently serious to warrant a straight red.
These were not merely isolated complaints about minor decisions. Mourinho connected the incidents to the wider circumstances of the match.
Real Madrid eventually found themselves playing with ten men after Huijsen’s dismissal, while Mourinho believed Atlético could potentially have been reduced to nine players earlier.
That hypothetical change in the number of players became central to his argument.
Mourinho Questions the Refereeing Appointments
The Real Madrid manager went beyond discussing the individual decisions.
He also questioned the experience of referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias and the appointment process.
Mourinho argued that the referee did not have the necessary experience for such a high-pressure derby.
He also raised concerns about the VAR official and referred to what he described as previous history involving Real Madrid matches.
These were Mourinho’s criticisms and interpretations of the officials’ performance rather than established findings that the referees deliberately acted against Real Madrid.
The distinction is important because the match decisions remain matters for interpretation, while Mourinho’s post-match statements represented his own assessment of what happened.
Nevertheless, his comments ensured that the refereeing debate became almost as prominent as the result itself.
Real Madrid Had to Play With Ten
Whatever the arguments surrounding the earlier incidents, one confirmed turning point was Huijsen’s dismissal.
The Real Madrid defender was sent off after a VAR review, and Atlético immediately benefited from the resulting penalty.
Grimaldo converted to give the hosts the lead.
Playing against ten men dramatically altered the tactical landscape.
Atlético were able to control more possession, move the ball around the depleted Real Madrid defensive structure and force the visitors to defend for extended periods.
Match data showed Atlético finishing with 61 percent possession and producing 18 shots compared with eight from Real Madrid. Their expected-goals figure was also substantially higher.
Those numbers help explain why Atlético were able to take control after the dismissal.
Atlético Take Advantage of the Extra Man
Diego Simeone’s side reacted decisively to the numerical advantage.
Grimaldo’s penalty gave Atlético the breakthrough, and Jonathan David quickly added another.
The second goal was particularly important because it gave Atlético breathing room during a match that had previously been extremely tight.
David’s finish also continued his productive start to life in Atlético colours.
The forward had already become an important attacking option for Simeone, and his goal against Real Madrid demonstrated his ability to contribute in a major fixture.
With Atlético two goals ahead, the home crowd sensed that the derby was moving decisively in their team’s direction.
Rüdiger Gives Real Madrid Late Hope
Real Madrid refused to disappear from the contest.
Antonio Rüdiger scored in the 89th minute with a header, cutting Atlético’s advantage to 2-1.
The goal created a nervous ending.
Mourinho’s side pushed forward in search of an equaliser, while Atlético were forced to defend their narrow advantage during stoppage time.
Despite the late pressure, Simeone’s team held firm.
The final whistle confirmed Atlético’s derby victory and left Real Madrid to reflect on another difficult result.
Rüdiger’s goal was ultimately only a consolation, but it demonstrated that Real Madrid retained enough attacking threat to make the closing minutes uncomfortable for the hosts.
Mourinho Praises His Players Despite Defeat
Interestingly, Mourinho did not make his criticism of the officials the only message of his press conference.
The Real Madrid coach also praised the attitude of his players.
He said he liked his team as a unit and highlighted their pride and determination, particularly after they were reduced to ten men.
That part of Mourinho’s assessment provided another dimension to the evening.
While he clearly believed refereeing decisions had influenced the contest, he did not portray his players as having failed to compete.
Instead, he argued that the circumstances made the second half especially difficult.
Playing against Atlético with one fewer player naturally changed Real Madrid’s ability to maintain possession and create attacking opportunities.
Mourinho therefore viewed the response of his players as something positive despite the defeat.
Atlético Responds to Mourinho
The controversy did not end when Mourinho left the press conference.
Atlético Madrid responded through their official social-media channels.
The club posted a video showing a printer producing a sheet of paper carrying the message #StopAcosoArbitralYA, translated as a call to stop harassment or pressure directed at referees.
Atlético later posted an image connected to Mourinho’s press conference, using the same theme.
The response was clearly linked to Mourinho’s decision to use printed images during his media appearance.
It transformed the dispute into a wider public exchange between the two Madrid clubs, extending the rivalry beyond the football pitch.
The response also demonstrated how modern football controversies increasingly continue through social media long after the final whistle.
The Printer Becomes Part of the Derby Story
Few football matches produce a moment as unusual as a manager arriving at a press conference with printed photographs of controversial decisions.
That image quickly became associated with the derby.
Mourinho has long been known for using press conferences to shape the narrative surrounding his teams, and this occasion produced another memorable example.
Instead of simply saying that he disagreed with two decisions, he showed journalists exactly which moments he wanted them to examine.
The approach ensured that the controversy could be discussed visually across television, newspapers and social media.
Atlético’s decision to answer with its own printer-themed post added another layer to the story.
The result was an unusual exchange in which the same object—the printed page—became symbolic of opposing perspectives.
The Wider Debate Over VAR
The controversy also highlights the continuing complexity of VAR in modern football.
Video technology was introduced to reduce major refereeing errors, but it has not eliminated disagreement.
Instead, VAR has sometimes shifted the debate from whether an incident was seen to whether the correct interpretation was applied.
In the Madrid derby, both sides were involved in incidents that required significant decisions.
The Romero-Bellingham incident was reviewed.
The Huijsen incident was also examined by VAR before the referee awarded a penalty and showed the Real Madrid defender a red card.
From Mourinho’s perspective, the technology should have produced different outcomes in the first-half incidents.
The match therefore became another example of how VAR can remain controversial even when officials have access to multiple replay angles.
Atlético’s Perspective
Atlético Madrid’s response suggests a fundamentally different interpretation of the controversy.
The club’s social-media message focused on the pressure placed on referees rather than on whether Mourinho’s interpretation of the individual incidents was correct.
That distinction matters.
A club can acknowledge that controversial decisions occurred while rejecting the suggestion that officials should be subjected to sustained public criticism.
Atlético’s response therefore moved the discussion toward the broader atmosphere surrounding refereeing in Spanish football.
The dispute was no longer limited to whether Romero or Lee Kang-in deserved red cards.
It became a conversation about how managers and clubs communicate criticism of match officials.
The Result Still Matters
Despite all the attention surrounding the refereeing, Atlético Madrid’s victory was ultimately decided by events on the pitch.
The hosts took advantage of their numerical superiority after Huijsen’s dismissal.
Grimaldo converted the penalty.
Jonathan David scored the second.
Rüdiger responded late.
Atlético defended their advantage until the final whistle.
The result moved Simeone’s side forward in the early LaLiga campaign, while Real Madrid were left to absorb a derby defeat.
According to match data, Atlético’s 61 percent possession and 18 shots reflected their control after the game changed shape. Real Madrid managed eight shots, with only three on target.
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