José Mourinho questions Betis penalty call ahead of Real Madrid Champions League opener

Press conference at Valdebebas

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho and forward Kylian Mbappé addressed journalists at the Valdebebas training complex on Monday ahead of their UEFA Champions League fixture against Inter Milan. The Tuesday fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu is Mourinho's first European tournament match with the Spanish club since the conclusion of his first managerial term in 2013. Mourinho noted that Real Madrid has since won six Champions League titles, contrasting current expectations with the period prior to 2010 when the team struggled to reach the quarterfinals. Inter Milan enters the contest under head coach Cristian Chivu, who formerly played under Mourinho during his time in Italy. At the end of the press session, an Italian content creator handed Mourinho a garden sprinkler, referencing the 2010 European semifinal against Barcelona. Mourinho exited the press room without showing amusement at the gesture.

Complaints over the Betis penalty

Mourinho turned the briefing toward officiating decisions from Friday's 1-0 domestic league loss against Real Betis at Estadio La Cartuja in Seville. Betis won the contest with a goal from Parrott, while Real Madrid missed an opportunity to level the score during the third minute of second-half stoppage time. Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles saved a penalty from Mbappé, after which defender Marc Bartra cleared the loose ball out of the penalty box. The video assistant referee took more than two minutes to review whether Bartra had encroached into the area before Mbappé struck the ball. Following the match, the Technical Committee of Referees published a note clarifying that encroachment occurs only if a player has at least one foot on the ground inside the box or semicircle, whereas Bartra kept his grounded left foot outside the line while leaping forward with his right foot and upper body in the air.

Questions over VAR and refereeing

When radio reporter Antonio Muelas from RNE asked about previous post-match comments regarding naive player behavior, Mourinho deflected the query to dispute the penalty ruling. The Portuguese manager adopted the questioning format of his April 2011 press conference following a Champions League semifinal defeat to Barcelona, asking repeatedly why the spot kick was not retaken. He argued that the video referee should have intervened or summoned referee Alejandro Hernández Hernández to view the replay monitor.

If the VAR did not order the penalty retaken due to ignorance of the rules, they have to go home and not do VAR. If it is because they did not want to, it is even worse.

Mourinho also criticized Hernández Hernández for booking Real Madrid captain Vinícius Júnior during the match. The manager argued that team captains are instructed that they have the right to approach officials respectfully to seek clarifications without automatically receiving a yellow card.

Squad preparations and Mbappé's response

Addressing tactical options for Tuesday, Mourinho confirmed that Real Madrid enters the match without suspended players Bernardo Silva, Eduardo Camavinga, and Arda Güler. He stated that the squad felt dejected in the Seville locker room after Friday's defeat but regained physical sharpness across training sessions on Sunday and Monday. Mbappé subsequently answered questions regarding defensive contributions, responding to comparisons made with the tracking back of wingers Raphinha and Ousmane Dembélé.

Of course we have to improve, but it is completely natural. I must be intelligent and say that I have to improve, although I do things that the others do not.

Mbappé dismissed speculation surrounding individual accolades such as the Ballon d'Or, remarking that public discussion around his form consistently drives media coverage. Real Madrid kicks off its Champions League campaign against Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday at 21:00 local time.