Real Madrid coach José Mourinho has refused to explain why he skipped his post-match news conference after Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Villarreal, telling journalists to "watch the first minute of the game" to understand his decision. Madrid took all three points in Saturday's La Liga game, but left the Bernabéu angry after Vinícius Júnior had a goal disallowed for a hair-pull, for which he was then sent off, in a dramatic second-half passage of play.
As a result, Tuesday's news conference ahead of Madrid's Champions League clash with Roma was the first chance for reporters to question Mourinho on his motives. Speaking at Roma's Olympic Stadium, he responded "Nothing, nothing" when asked about the incident. "This is a Champions League game. [I have] nothing to say about the league game," he said. When pressed further, he added, "The first minute is enough, if you know."
Mourinho has criticised a number of refereeing performances and key decisions since returning to Madrid this summer. After last month's Madrid derby, he brought a printout with photos of two key incidents into his post-match news conference, saying the referee "couldn't cope with the pressure." On Tuesday, he insisted he trusts all referees, though he said it made him uncomfortable when referee names were known three weeks before a game rather than 24 hours before.
Wednesday's game in Rome marks a return for Mourinho to a club where he spent three seasons, winning the 2022 Conference League.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing