The Fallout from the Real Madrid Derby Loss and Mourinho’s ‘Lee Kang-in Tackle’ Photo Reveal

Immediately after Real Madrid’s 1-2 loss to Atlético Madrid in the Madrid derby on the 20th, manager José Mourinho arrived at the press conference carrying printed photos of Lee Kang-in’s tackle. Although Lee became the first Asian player to start in this historic derby and orchestrated Atlético’s winning goal, Mourinho challenged the refereeing head-on, claiming that Lee’s dangerous sliding tackle on Federico Valverde’s ankle late in the first half deserved a red card. With the club fiercely protesting what they call an obvious officiating error and declaring a boycott of the mixed zone, fans are currently searching for Real Madrid for reasons beyond just the derby loss—it is the intense war of words taking place off the pitch.

The Storm Caused by a Single Paper Photo: Why Did Mourinho Target Lee Kang-in at the Press Conference?

Upon entering the press room after the loss, Real Madrid manager José Mourinho pulled out several printed photos from his pocket. He had personally printed out the controversial tackle scenes from the match. Mourinho highlighted two specific moments while holding the photos up for the press.

The first was a rough tackle by Atlético Madrid’s Cristian Romero on Jude Bellingham in the 37th minute, and the second was a deep sliding tackle attempted by Lee Kang-in toward Federico Valverde’s ankle in the 44th minute. Mourinho raised his voice, insisting that both incidents should have been straight red cards rather than just yellow cards.

He openly criticized 41-year-old referee Ortiz Arias and VAR official Trujillo, claiming their incompetence changed the flow of the match. He argued that while the opponent’s red-card-worthy fouls were ignored, his own defender, Dean Huijsen, was sent off on a second yellow card just 5 minutes into the second half, effectively dooming the team. This performance, bordering on eccentric, where a manager brings physical photo evidence to a press conference to protest a ruling, has spread rapidly through Spanish media and has become the biggest talking point of the derby.

Historic First Derby Start and Decisive Impact: The Mark Lee Kang-in Left on the Pitch

The match was a historic stage for Lee Kang-in personally. Becoming the first Asian player to start in the Madrid derby, he played for 89 minutes in an Atlético Madrid uniform until he was substituted, acting as the key architect of the team's attack. In the 8th minute of the second half, Lee delivered a precise long pass to break through the pressure, contributing to Alex Grimaldo’s opening penalty goal. Then, in the 14th minute of the second half, he succeeded with another sharp forward pass that broke the defensive line; the resulting cross from Giuliano Simeone led to Jonathan David’s additional goal, which turned out to be the winner, earning Lee a standing ovation from the home fans.

However, the praise was overshadowed by painful controversy. In the 45th minute, a deep sliding tackle Lee attempted from behind on Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde hit his ankle hard, creating a dangerous scene. At the time, referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias signaled only a foul without a card, and the VAR room took no further action. This reckless, dangerous tackle immediately became a flashpoint both on and off the pitch.

The fallout is greater than imagined. Real Madrid released an official medical report after the match, announcing that Valverde suffered a serious injury to his left ankle due to the tackle. Local media reported that he is likely to be sidelined for at least 2–3 weeks, making it highly probable that he will be excluded from the upcoming Uruguay national team roster. While the official disciplinary procedure from La Liga has not yet been announced, the Spanish Technical Committee of Referees later admitted that Lee’s foul was clearly worth a red card, further fueling the officiating controversy. Despite leading his team to a historic derby victory with his exceptional talent, Lee finds himself the subject of both praise and criticism due to a fatal, overly aggressive defensive tackle.

Numerical Disadvantage and Broken Balance: The Decisive Moments That Broke Real Madrid

Real Madrid held their own against Atlético Madrid throughout the first half, but the balance of the match tipped sharply as the second half began. The start was the sending off of defender Dean Huijsen in the 7th minute. While dealing with a long pass from Dávid Hancko, Huijsen grabbed Giuliano Simeone’s arm, committing a foul inside the penalty box. Referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias initially called a yellow card and a penalty, but after a signal from VAR official Trujillo Suárez and an on-field review, he changed the card color to red. This decision followed IFAB rules, which state that any intentional foul grabbing a player regardless of the ball must be a straight red card, even if a penalty is awarded.

Down a man, Real Madrid faced immediate crisis. Following the opening penalty goal conceded to Alejandro Grimaldo in the 8th minute of the second half, they conceded an additional goal to Jonathan David just 6 minutes later. Near the end of the match, Antonio Rüdiger managed to pull one back with a header off a sharp free kick from Bernardo Silva, but there was not enough physical time left to turn the game around with only 10 men.

Worse news arrived after the match. Results from a precise diagnostic scan on Federico Valverde, whose left ankle was hit hard by Lee Kang-in’s sliding tackle in the 44th minute, were released. Valverde endured the pain to play the full 90 minutes, but Real Madrid’s medical staff officially confirmed that he had sustained a serious injury to his left ankle. Local media and journalist Guillermo Rai projected that Valverde would be out for 2 to 3 weeks, making his exclusion from the upcoming Uruguay national team call-up inevitable.

This is a painful blow for manager José Mourinho, who had been using Valverde in every match this season as a core component of his double pivot system with Aurélien Tchouaméni. With Huijsen unable to play in the next match due to suspension, and key midfielder Valverde sidelined, a red light has turned on for Real Madrid’s early-season squad management. Furthermore, whether La Liga will initiate official additional disciplinary procedures regarding Mourinho’s unusual 'photo protest' and the harsh criticism of referees on the club’s official broadcast has emerged as a significant future variable.

Even Talk of Leaving the League? Real Madrid’s Anger Leaves Wounds Beyond Just a Loss

More painful than losing the 3 points were the loss of a key player to injury and the frustration over incomprehensible officiating. Real Madrid’s anger is escalating beyond mere post-match frustration into an administrative boycott and an off-pitch war of words.

The most immediate and physical wound was the injury to midfielder Federico Valverde. Immediately after the match, Real Madrid officially announced that Valverde had suffered a serious injury to his left ankle. The cause was Lee Kang-in’s deep sliding tackle in the 44th minute. According to local media and The Athletic, Valverde is expected to be sidelined for about 2 to 3 weeks and will not be able to join the Uruguay national team. Real Madrid is furious that the referee did not even pull out a yellow card or conduct a VAR review for such a rough tackle that resulted in a severe ankle injury.

In response, Real Madrid is utilizing all official club channels to wage an unprecedented campaign of public opinion. Their official social media accounts posted the scene of Lee’s tackle directly, explicitly attacking the officiating for ruining the match result. Real Madrid TV, the club’s official broadcaster, characterized the decision as a clear error with extreme hostility, even mentioning the extreme argument of withdrawing from Spain’s La Liga.

The club completely refused post-match mixed zone interviews as a sign of strong protest against the ruling. Major local media outlets like Marca and AS are also debating the appropriateness of Lee’s tackle and the referee’s performance day after day. This is why the fallout from the officiating is likely to linger longer than the derby defeat itself.

After the Wounded Derby: Mourinho’s Frame Shift and the Real Task Ahead

The conclusion of this Madrid derby is being viewed as another example of manager José Mourinho’s trademark expert 'frame shifting.' He successfully diverted public focus away from the decisive factors of the match defeat—such as the sending off of defender Dean Huijsen or tactical shortcomings—toward the officiating controversy and Lee Kang-in’s dangerous tackle. Some in the local media and football circles analyze Mourinho’s act of pulling out paper photos at the press conference to argue point-by-point as a calculated psychological tactic to deflect criticism from the team’s performance and gain an advantage in the off-pitch war for public opinion.

However, the real wound left on Real Madrid is not just the war of words, but the loss of a key player. Immediately after the match, Real Madrid’s medical team officially announced that Federico Valverde had sustained a serious injury to his left ankle. According to credible local reports, Valverde is expected to be sidelined for about 2 to 3 weeks due to the ankle injury. Consequently, he has been excluded from the upcoming Uruguay national team call-up and will remain in Madrid to focus on recovery. Fortunately, Real Madrid has no official matches for about 20 days thanks to the international break, but depending on his return, the team could face significant disruptions in midfield composition for the Villarreal match, the Champions League trip to Rome, and El Clásico against Barcelona scheduled for October 25th.

Ultimately, the real point to watch for fans is the follow-up action to this stormy off-pitch controversy. Whether La Liga or the Spanish Football Federation will initiate disciplinary procedures in response to Real Madrid’s unprecedented anger, the official boycott declaration, and manager Mourinho’s unheard-of photo protest remains under scrutiny. It remains to be seen if Mourinho, now facing the major setback of Valverde’s injury alongside the heated officiating dispute, can settle the chaotic team atmosphere and stage a rebound in the packed October schedule.

Related Links