José Mourinho, the head coach of Real Madrid, made provocative statements following his team's loss yesterday against Real Betis in a La Liga match.
Real Madrid visited Real Betis in the fourth round of the 2026/27 La Liga season, losing by a single goal without reply.
The match witnessed intense drama after Real Madrid scored an equalizer through Carlos Espejo, only for it to be disallowed. Additionally, Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty kick in the 92nd minute. Real Madrid demanded the penalty be retaken, citing that the goalkeeper had advanced off his line and that Betis player Marc Bartra had entered the penalty area before the shot was taken; however, no replay or retake was granted.
Mourinho stated in remarks published by the Spanish newspaper "Marca": "I believe the team delivered a fantastic performance. Sometimes you lose without knowing why; sometimes you lose without being able to explain how. We had defensive control, plenty of attacking play, and numerous scoring opportunities. We would have left frustrated even with a draw because we did more; imagine how we feel after losing."
He added: "Carlos Espejo, who scored a wonderful goal—whether it was offside or not—did his job well. He will always improve because he is humble, works hard, and wants to learn. I couldn't be happier with him."
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Regarding the substitution of Arda Güler, he said: "It was difficult to substitute him; it was very hard because he was playing extremely well. In this aspect, Real Betis players were smarter than Real Madrid players. They are strong, while Real Madrid players are innocent. When our players fall, they get up immediately, but the opponents are smarter and receive support from their fans."
He continued: "I don't know how Güler received a yellow card in the first half; they were targeting him, so I had to substitute him. Substitutions do not mean we are unhappy with the team, but we removed some players due to yellow cards."
He noted: "I don't know why I received a yellow card, but it doesn't matter; I accept it. One of the Real Betis players looked completely dead in front of the bench (referring to feigning injury and exaggerating falls). I cannot confirm anything regarding the penalty, the video review, or Espejo's goal. There were many frustrated people on the bench. I didn't see the incident myself and cannot comment on it. The referee allowed play to continue, which I appreciate."
He emphasized: "I wasn't pleased with the criteria used for issuing yellow cards in the first half. Güler knows nothing but playing football. However, we didn't lose because of a yellow card; I don't know why we lost."
When asked if Real Madrid needed to show more cunning, he said: "Perhaps I didn't express what I meant clearly. I have no complaints. When I said my team appeared innocent (naive), I meant that Betis players tried to influence the referee's decisions over every minor incident, unlike Real Madrid players. For example, that player who looked like he was dead—did he need an ambulance? Ultimately, it wasn't like that. I have no complaints."
He concluded: "We deserved to win, but that doesn't guarantee points. I congratulate Real Betis, who played for a draw, got lucky, and won."
