Derby defeat and controversial refereeing: Real Madrid loses ground to Atlético

Real Madrid suffered their second Liga defeat of the season, losing 2-1 to Atlético Madrid on Sunday in the Madrid derby. The result leaves the Merengue six points behind FC Barcelona, who remain unbeaten after seven matchdays.

The match turned after the break when Dean Huijsen committed a foul in his own penalty area, receiving a red card and gifting a penalty to the Colchoneros. Alex Grimaldo converted from the spot. Jonathan David then extended the lead before Antonio Rüdiger pulled one back in the closing stages, though it was not enough to change the outcome.

In the aftermath, the club and manager José Mourinho directed their anger at referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias, who was officiating a Real Madrid match for the first time. At his press conference, the Portuguese coach produced screenshots of two controversial incidents: a foul by Cuti Romero on Jude Bellingham, which received only a yellow card after VAR review, and a tackle by Kang-in Lee on Federico Valverde, which Real Madrid claims caused a serious injury.

“Everything was strange. The first oddity being that we knew the referee’s identity a week before the match, when normally the appointment comes 24 hours before,” Mourinho said, adding that the 41-year-old Ortiz Arias is not an international referee. “Probably because he is not a great referee. The poor man could not handle the pressure.”

Real Madrid TV amplified these criticisms in particularly harsh terms. “It is simply disgusting. It makes you want to get up and leave La Liga,” the club’s official channel said, denouncing “double standards” in refereeing decisions and claiming Ortiz Arias had been seen in good company with Barcelona players a few weeks earlier.

With two defeats in seven matchdays — the first away at Real Betis — and Barcelona leading the way with a perfect record, pressure is mounting at the Santiago Bernabéu.