MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 20: Diego Simeone, Manager of Atletico Madrid, reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on September 20, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Atlético Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has sent a piece of advice the way of Real Madrid counterpart José Mourinho on Sunday evening.
This of course comes after the pair did battle on the touchline earlier in the day.
Atlético welcomed bitter rivals Real to the Metropolitano a short time ago, for the season’s first Madrid Derby. And when all was said and done, it proved to be an outing to remember for the hosts.
Owing to goals on the part of Alejandro Grimaldo and Jonathan David, Atléti emerged on the right side of a 2-1 result, in the process leapfrogging their city rivals into 2nd in the La Liga table.
Post-match, the dialogue on the white half of the Madrid divide has centred on the standard of officiating, with José Mourinho having spearheaded a ruthless campaign against referee Ortiz Arias and his team of officials.
Drawn on the comments of his Real Madrid counterpart in his own press conference this evening, Diego Simeone therefore made use of the chance to send some advice the way of Mourinho:
“You can not lose the referees’ respect. No matter how much of a big name you are, like Mourinho is… we need to be respectful. Sometimes things go your way, and sometimes they don’t.
“You should never cross the line. Regardless of who you are – Mourinho, Flick, Pellegrini, me, or anyone else – we need to be careful about what we say.”
Conor Laird – GSFN