‘Is Negreira still here?’ – Furious Jose Mourinho lashes out at refereeing ‘mistakes’ and alleges systemic bias
Mourinho went further than just criticizing individual decisions, implying that there is a wider lack of fairness in how La Liga is governed. He compared the treatment of Real Madrid to that of their rivals, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, suggesting that the playing field is far from level. In a clear demonstration of the club’s fury over the officiating, Real Madrid announced that none of their players would be permitted to speak in the mixed zone after the match, reflecting deep-seated anger at what they perceive as severe injustice.
The manager remained defiant, insisting that his team is being forced to fight against more than just the opposition on the pitch. ‘If they let us compete on equal terms, we will. I don’t want to say this was rigged; I want to believe they’re wrong. That the Committee made a mistake in putting a 41-year-old in charge, and another with a history against Real Madrid.’
