Mourinho blasts referee and VAR after Real Madrid’s 2-1 loss at Atletico

MADRID (AP) — José Mourinho was back to his old self on Sunday, lashing out at the refereeing following 10-man Real Madrid's 2-1 loss at Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league.

Mourinho took a piece of paper with photos to the post-match news conference, saying there were “two clear red cards” that weren't shown to Atletico players. The Madrid coach then spent nearly five minutes complaining of “strange” things that have happened to his team this season and in the past.

“We could skip the news conference, because the story of the match is right here (on the photos)," Mourinho said. “Given the difficulties we faced playing 11 against 10, one can only imagine what it would have been like to play 50 minutes at 11 against nine. So I'll simply embrace my players.”

Mourinho and Madrid wanted red cards for Atletico’s Cristian “Cuti” Romero and Lee Kang-in for hard fouls on Madrid players. Madrid ended playing nearly all of the second half with 10 men after Dean Huijsen was sent off in the 52nd minute. Atletico scored in the 53rd and 59th minutes to move past Madrid in the standings. Madrid's lone goal came late.

Mourinho was upset with the pick of “this poor referee,” Ortiz Arias, for the Madrid city derby. He said "those who should be happy, aside from the Atletico fans, are those in the refereeing committee.”

“It's all been very strange,” Mourinho said. “First of all, the referee was known a week before the match, but I’m told that's usually announced just 24 hours in advance. Then he is a 41-year-old referee who isn’t on the international list, so it can’t be because he’s a great referee. The poor guy came here and couldn’t handle the pressure.”

Mourinho also didn't like how VAR allegedly acted against Madrid.

“The VAR official, he called the referee over for the first red card, though I don’t think he did so for the second, which was an even clearer case than the first, and he has quite a track record in the VAR in Real Madrid matches,” Mourinho asserted. “Last season alone, there was the Real Sociedad match in the Copa del Rey, and then there was Osasuna and Girona. This is a VAR with a lot of history."

Until now, the veteran and often outspoken coach had been showing a calmer version of himself after returning for his second stint with Madrid.

“I would have liked to leave here today with a victory, without having to talk about this. I’ve been here for three months now, and I think you’ve all seen that I haven't usually gone in this direction,” Mourinho said. "Two red cards against Elche and we still won, but two red cards today is a bit more difficult. This combination: a poor referee who has only officiated small games and a VAR official with a long history. Congratulations to the referees' committee.”

Atletico coach Diego Simeone called for respect from coaches while reacting to Mourinho's comments.

“We all lose sometimes," Simeone said, "but you can't cross the line of respect, regardless if your name is Mourinho, (Hansi) Flick or Simeone.”

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen, right, fouls Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone to give away a penalty shot and see a red card during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in Madrid, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Atletico Madrid fans react as Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone falls to the ground in a clash with Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in Madrid, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

A pigeon stands on the pitch as Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham runs with the ball, right, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in Madrid, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho speaks to Referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in Madrid, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho, right, gestures during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in Madrid, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

SAINT-PIERRE, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron moved Sunday to deepen a strategic partnership spanning space, defense, energy and business, another step in Canada’s accelerating turn toward Europe as relations with the United States deteriorate.

Carney said the countries will task their space agencies and defense ministries to develop and share infrastructure, including launch systems and ground-based reception facilities. They also agreed to expand cooperation in energy, telecommunications, climate resilience and economic development.

The meeting comes days after Carney embraced the prospect of Canada becoming the European Union’s first associate member and argued that deeper ties with Europe would make Canada less vulnerable to economic coercion by any single country.

“Canada and Europe will build an alliance for the future that will strengthen our collective resilience so we can live our lives as we choose based on the values that we share,” Carney said Sunday.

Macron called Carney’s visit a “historic moment,” saying that amid global turmoil, the two countries were affirming “our sovereignty, our freedom to decide” and their determination to build closer ties.

Macron also backed Canada’s future involvement in the European Union.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, demands for economic concessions and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state have pushed the Canadian government to reduce its dependence on its neighbor and pursue deeper economic, security and political relationships with Europe.

Macron welcomed Carney on Sunday at the airport of the French territory off Newfoundland’s coast.

“This is an important moment,” Macron said Saturday upon arrival in Saint-Pierre-et- Miquelon, home to about 5,800 people.

Talks “will allow us … to strengthen our bilateral economic ties and defense relationship,” Macron said.

Macron also said that Sunday’s talks are part of broader efforts to help France secure oil and gas supplies as the Iran war disrupts global energy markets and raises fears of higher prices for fuel and other essentials.

“Canada is a country with significant resources of critical minerals and rare earths. It is also a major oil and natural gas producer,” Macron said. “What we want to do is conclude agreements to secure more liquefied natural gas that can be shipped to Europe’s Atlantic coast.”

The leaders discussed aerospace, energy, critical minerals and advanced technologies such as quantum computing, satellites and supercomputing, Carney’s office said in a statement.

Sunday’s meeting also follows Trump’s announcement of a deal on Greenland that would expand the U.S. military presence there while keeping the island under Danish control. The agreement followed months of threats by Trump to seize the semiautonomous territory of a NATO ally.

Macron welcomed the agreement Saturday.

“Danish sovereignty is being respected, international law is being respected,” he said. “Anything that helps ease tensions is a good thing.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, looks to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as he delivers remarks in Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Sunday, Sept.20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney embrace after delivering remarks in Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Sunday, Sept.20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, leads Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to his plane after the leaders delivered remarks in Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Sunday, Sept.20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, reacts to French President Emmanuel Macron as he delivers remarks in Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Sunday, Sept.20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, takes a selfie with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney after delivering remarks in Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Sunday, Sept.20, 2026. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)