Mourinho: Huijsen red card debate after Real Madrid lose to Atlético

Real coach José Mourinho has said that even a red card for Dean Huijsen, if it was earned outside the box,

Rüdiger scored in the 89th minute, with earlier goals from David and Grimaldo. Huijsen was sent off, and Real played most of the second half with ten men. Vinicius Junior was substituted in the 54th minute; the Brazilian has now gone 6 matches without scoring. It was the 7th round of La Liga.

Mourinho arrived at the press conference with printed screenshots of the challenges involving Lee Kang-in and Cristian Romero. Bellingham swore, apparently at the referee. Mourinho discussed the Huijsen dismissal:

"I have to admit I haven't seen the replay yet, it all happened too far away for me to judge. In the dressing room they told me the offence began outside the box. If so, it is a foul, a red card and 0:0. If inside, it's a penalty, and if there is a clear act of holding the shirt, then it would be a red. But all of this happened in the second half. In the first half we are talking about a derby of 11 against 9. In the second, 11 against 10, the difficulties were visible, and the players had to give everything to compete. Imagine eleven against nine – there are no miracles in football, and we can already imagine how it would have ended."

Mourinho's argument is that Lee should have gone in the first half. The referees' technical committee (CTA) has already backed up former Real Madrid midfielder Guti, who said on Spanish television that Lee "rolled into Valverde from behind, quite openly", and that with the frame frozen "the foot is high, studs showing – all the criteria for a red card are there".

Real's club television has questioned the appointment of referee Arias. Its presenter asked why a 41-year-old who no longer officiates international matches is given a derby, and whether it comes down to sympathy for Barcelona players, calling Barça "the beneficiary of what is happening". Former referee Fuertes, by contrast, said Romero's foul on Bellingham "doesn't merit a red" because there was recklessness but "not enough intensity".

Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak had said before the match that the club would not settle for a top-four finish and wanted to win the league outright. For Real, the lost derby may be a distraction they can ill afford.