Baena hits back at Mourinho: "The paper show is a tantrum"

Álex Baena has not taken long to reply to José Mourinho after the refereeing controversy in the Madrid derby. The Villarreal midfielder called the Portuguese coach's press conference a tantrum after he appeared with photos of two possible red cards that he claimed influenced Real Madrid's defeat against Atlético. Baena argued that this kind of protest only appears when the Spanish giants fail to beat their neighbours.

• Álex Baena accuses Mourinho of not knowing how to lose after showing photos of two controversial incidents.
• The Real Madrid coach demanded red cards for Cuti Romero and Kang-in Lee.
• Baena insists the refereeing debate would not exist if the result had gone the other way.
• Simeone and Grimaldo had already criticised Mourinho's comments before the derby.

Mourinho's protest with images of Romero and Kang-in Lee

Atlético de Madrid won the derby against Real Madrid in a match where they were clearly the better side and deserved the three points. Even so, there were a few controversial incidents during the game that Mourinho considered decisive for the final outcome. That is why he appeared in the press room holding a photo which highlighted two possible red card offences by Cuti Romero and Kang-in Lee.

We could have saved ourselves the press conference because the story of the match is right here. They are two clear red cards. Given the difficulties we had afterwards, ten against eleven, we can imagine what 50 minutes with eleven against nine would have been like.

The Portuguese coach went on to say that his players had given everything and that the match could perfectly have been won in the second half. He also sent a direct message to the refereeing appointments committee, saying they had reasons to be happy because everything had been "very strange". After the defeat, Real Madrid lose ground in LaLiga while Atlético strengthen their position near the top of the table.

Baena responds: "Refereeing is only debated when Real Madrid lose"

The Spain international did not share the Real Madrid coach's view. Speaking to Telemadrid, Baena was blunt when assessing Mourinho's attitude and his performance with the photographs. For the midfielder, it is a typical reaction from Real Madrid when they fail to win the derby.

He is complaining because he lost. If it had happened the other way around, nobody would be talking so much about this referee controversy. It is what usually happens when Real Madrid lose to Atlético: they try to look for other things instead of focusing on themselves.

Baena went even further and described the Portuguese coach's behaviour as childish. "The show with the papers seems like a tantrum and a sign that he does not know how to lose," he said. His words add to a debate that Simeone and Grimaldo had already sparked before the derby when they criticised Mourinho's comments about refereeing performances.

The recent head-to-head between Atlético and Real Madrid and what is at stake

The Madrid derby has become one of the most evenly matched fixtures in Spanish football in recent seasons. Atlético have shown they can compete with Real Madrid in decisive moments, and LaLiga has grown used to seeing both clubs fighting for the top positions in the championship. In that context, every victory is worth more than three points because it also delivers a psychological blow to the opponent.

Real Madrid's defeat at the Metropolitano reopens the title race and leaves Mourinho's side with little room for error in the coming fixtures. Atlético, for their part, reinforce their status as contenders on all fronts with a win that confirms their strong form. The refereeing controversy remains in the background, but it fuels a rivalry that grows more intense every year.

Simeone and Grimaldo had already warned about the clash with Mourinho

Before the derby, Diego Simeone and Alejandro Grimaldo had already publicly criticised Mourinho's words. The Argentine coach defended the work of his players and played down the Portuguese manager's complaints. Grimaldo, away with the Spanish national team, also joined the criticism and made it clear that the Real Madrid coach's comments were a smokescreen to divert attention from the result.

Those early reactions pointed to a tense atmosphere that was finally confirmed by Real Madrid's defeat and the subsequent protest with the papers. Álex Baena's response is the latest sign that the Madrid derby does not end on the pitch and that the crossfire between players, coaches and their entourages continues to feed the capital's biggest rivalry.

Frequently asked questions about the Baena and Mourinho controversy