Mourinho Cites 'First Minute' of Villarreal Win Following Post-Match Media Snub

José Mourinho refused to explain his post-match news conference absence following Real Madrid's 1-0 victory over Villarreal.

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho declined to provide reasons for skipping his post-match press conference following a 1-0 victory against Villarreal on Saturday. Speaking Tuesday at Roma's Olympic Stadium ahead of a Champions League fixture, Mourinho instructed journalists to "watch the first minute of the game" to understand his actions. While Madrid secured three points in the LaLiga contest, the match featured a second-half sequence where Vinícius Júnior was sent off after having a goal disallowed for a hair-pull.

Mourinho stated he would not comment on the domestic league game during a Champions League media session but offered to discuss the matter further this coming Saturday. The manager has previously been vocal regarding officiating, recently bringing a printout of two specific incidents to a press conference following last month's Madrid derby. During that event, he claimed the referee could not handle the pressure and offered sarcastic congratulations to the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).

Addressing officiating concerns on Tuesday, Mourinho noted he finds it "uncomfortable" when the identity of a referee is known three weeks in advance rather than 24 hours before kickoff. Despite these comments, he expressed faith in Champions League officials. Real Madrid faces Roma on Wednesday, marking Mourinho's return to the club where he won the 2022 Conference League during a three-season tenure.