Atlético Madrid has issued a public response to José Mourinho after the Real Madrid coach complained about refereeing, according to L'Équipe. The club's message centered on the phrase "stop the refereeing harassment," French outlet 20 Minutes reported. The exchange marks an escalation in an ongoing dispute over how match officials are treated in Spanish football.
The row follows Mourinho's suggestion that referees are acting against Real Madrid. La Liga president Javier Tebas rejected that claim sharply, telling L'Équipe that anyone who believes officials are aligned against the club "is living in another galaxy." Tebas's remarks, carried by L'Équipe, added a second front to the criticism of Mourinho, moving the argument beyond the two Madrid clubs.
Coverage of the episode has spread across French and Spanish football media. Foot Mercato reported that a Spanish journalist also strongly criticized Mourinho, while Sports.fr noted that a sanction has been handed down to Kylian Mbappé, without further detail in the available reporting. L'Équipe and 20 Minutes both framed Atlético's statement as a direct reply to Real Madrid.
Atlético's message and Tebas's comments together put pressure on Mourinho over his public stance on officiating. The coming days will show whether the coach responds to either the club or the league president, and whether La Liga takes any formal step.
