Jose Mourinho has questioned why officials did not review a disputed incident involving Kylian Mbappe’s missed penalty during Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat by Real Betis on Friday, saying: “I want the referees to answer this”.
The Real Madrid head coach believes a defender may have entered the penalty area before Mbappe took the kick. Mourinho said he could not understand why the incident was not reviewed, despite the apparent possibility that the defender had encroached before the ball was struck.
The penalty was not converted, and Real Madrid went on to lose the match 1-0. Mourinho’s criticism focused on the decision not to examine the incident rather than on the outcome of the kick itself.
“I want the referees to answer this,” Mourinho said, making clear that he expected an explanation for the officials’ handling of the penalty. His comments came after a match in which the disputed moment became a central point of discussion for Real Madrid.
The issue concerns whether the defender had moved into the penalty area too early. If that had happened before Mbappe’s attempt, it could have affected how the incident was assessed. Mourinho felt the moment warranted a review, but said that did not happen.
Real Madrid’s defeat by Real Betis leaves Mourinho’s side turning its attention to the next fixture. The club are now preparing for a home Champions League match against Inter.
The match against Inter will be Real Madrid’s next opportunity to respond after the loss to Real Betis. Mourinho’s side will do so with questions still surrounding the penalty incident and the decision not to revisit it.
Mbappe’s unsuccessful spot-kick was the decisive flashpoint in Mourinho’s assessment of the refereeing. Although the penalty was not scored, the manager’s concern was that the positioning of the defender before the kick may have breached the rules and should therefore have been checked.
Mourinho did not accept that the matter could simply be left without clarification. His request for the referees to answer underlined his frustration with the lack of a review and placed the officiating decision at the centre of the discussion following Real Madrid’s defeat.
For now, however, Real Madrid must move on to their Champions League engagement with Inter. The Spanish side are preparing for that home fixture after Friday’s setback against Real Betis, while Mourinho continues to seek an explanation for why the disputed penalty incident was not reviewed.