José Mourinho chose to skip the post‑match press conference after Real Madrid’s 1‑0 victory over Villarreal, sparking speculation about the coach’s motives. In the LaLiga fixture, Madrid secured all three points, but the win was marred by a controversial incident in which Vinícius Júnior had a goal disallowed for a hair‑pull and was subsequently sent off. The decision left the Bernabéu frustrated, and Mourinho was quick to distance himself from the league match.
When asked on Tuesday’s press conference ahead of Madrid’s Champions League tie with AS Roma, Mourinho declined to comment on the Villarreal game. He told reporters, “Nothing, nothing,” and added that the match was a league game, not a Champions League fixture, and therefore not worth discussing. When journalists pressed him further, Mourinho suggested that anyone interested in the incident should “watch the first minute of the game” to understand the context, implying that a deeper analysis would be unnecessary.
Mourinho has been vocal about refereeing decisions since returning to Madrid this summer. After the last‑month derby, he brought a printout of two key incidents that he felt had gone against his side, accusing the referee of being unable to handle the pressure and praising the Spanish refereeing committee. When questioned about his confidence in Champions League referees, he said he trusts them but is uneasy when referees are announced three weeks before a match instead of 24 hours in advance.
The upcoming match in Rome is significant for Mourinho, who previously managed Roma for three seasons and won the 2022 Conference League. The press conference will be his first opportunity to address the controversy before the high‑stakes Champions League clash.