Atletico Madrid has countered the criticism from Real Madrid following the controversial derby on Sunday, where Real lost 2-1. Jose Mourinho, Real's manager, pointed to two incidents he believed warranted red cards for Atletico players during his post-match press conference.

Mourinho showcased printouts of the tackles, expressing his frustration with the officiating of Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias. He specifically highlighted a stamp by Atletico defender Cristian Romero on Jude Bellingham, which he felt should have resulted in a red card. He also mentioned a challenge by Lee Kang-in on Federico Valverde, which he deemed equally egregious.

In response, Atletico Madrid utilized their X account to voice their stance:

• The first post featured a video of a printed message stating #StopAcosoArbitalYA (stop referee harassment now).
• A second post showed Mourinho at the press conference with the same message.

Mourinho's post-match comments included a passionate critique of the officiating, stating, "Those were two clear red cards. The difficulties we've faced since the sending-off - 11 against 10 - well, we can imagine what 50 minutes of 11 against nine would have been like if justice had been done."

He also expressed disappointment over the referee's experience, asserting, "They've put a referee, aged 41, with no international experience - it's certainly not because he's a great referee."

Real Madrid echoed Mourinho's sentiments in their official match report, labeling the derby as "marked by poor officiating" and detailing the critical decisions that influenced the match's outcome. The report emphasized that both non-calls significantly shaped the game's dynamics, leading to Atletico's eventual victory.