Mourinho slams Clásico referee leak: "I don't like it"

José Mourinho has once again placed himself at the center of the refereeing debate just days before the Clásico. The Portuguese coach has made his displeasure clear over the leak of the official set to take charge of Real Madrid against Barcelona, information that emerged far earlier than the usual protocol allows. For Mourinho, leaks of this kind only serve to pressure the referee and shift attention away from the football itself.

• Mourinho criticizes the Clásico referee being known weeks in advance instead of 24 hours before the match.
• The coach believes the leak puts the spotlight on the official and can influence his performance.
• Martínez Munuera is the referee appointed for Real Madrid against Barcelona.
• The comments came after the Leipzig match and before the Roma game.

Why Mourinho is upset about the Clásico referee being revealed weeks early

Mourinho does not hide his irritation. His issue is not with the identity of the referee, but with the fact that the name is made public far earlier than the rules allow. According to the coach, the official appointment should come 24 hours before the match, a timeframe that protects both the referee and the competition.

The Portuguese manager explained that this kind of information raises doubts for him. In his view, knowing who will officiate a high-stakes match three weeks in advance only adds pressure to the referee. That pressure ends up affecting the game itself and the way every decision is judged.

What Mourinho said after the Leipzig match

I don't think it is true. Or, if it is true, it comes out of context because the referee is official 24 hours before the match. This is a type of information I don't like, and I am not referring to the referee.

That was Mourinho's reaction when he was told that Martínez Munuera would be in charge of the Clásico. The coach did not question the official's ability, but he did question the process by which his name had reached the public so far in advance.

Mourinho's stance before the Roma clash

Days earlier, in the press conference before the Roma match, Mourinho had already made his position clear. He insisted that he trusts all referees, but added that the only thing that makes him doubt is when an official's name is known three weeks before the match instead of within the established 24-hour window.

I trust all referees. The only thing that makes me doubt is when the name of the referee is known three weeks before the match and not 24 hours before.

What is at stake for Real Madrid in the Clásico and why refereeing is a concern

The Clásico on October 25 arrives at a moment of maximum tension. For Mourinho, the referee leak is not a minor issue: he believes that keeping the official in the media spotlight for weeks turns every decision into an anticipated controversy. That dynamic, in his view, harms the referee and can shape how the match unfolds.

While the coach voices his frustration, Real Madrid TV continues to criticize the refereeing decisions involving his team compared with those favoring Barcelona. The combination of both narratives fuels a climate of distrust around officiating ahead of one of the most watched matches in the world.

Martínez Munuera's role in the Clásico

The appointment of Martínez Munuera has dominated much of the pre-match conversation. For Mourinho, the important thing is not who officiates, but when the appointment is made public. The coach believes the current leak-based system breaks the neutral ground on which both teams should arrive at a match of this magnitude.