Following a 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano, Real Madrid’s post-match departure laid bare deep squad divisions, with only Dutch international Denzel Dumfries boarding the team bus while teammates opted to leave in private or family vehicles, according to local media reports.
Locker Room Fractures and the Departure from the Metropolitano
The Sunday afternoon fixture exposed a fractured group dynamic within the squad. While Denzel Dumfries took the team bus after the final whistle, the remainder of the squad chose to leave the Metropolitano independently. Club sources cited by local reporting explained that internationals were granted permission to depart separately due to upcoming international window travel and flight logistics. Yet, observations from multiple outlets indicate that squad members routinely travel separately following matches, showing a persistent lack of collective unity that becomes particularly pronounced after losses.
Institutional Silence and Mourinho’s Unintended Spokesperson Role
Compounding the squad’s disconnect is a conspicuous silence from Real Madrid’s hierarchy. Club leadership has repeatedly shielded itself behind manager José Mourinho, leaving the veteran coach to field difficult questions in the press room. This dynamic developed despite Mourinho explicitly requesting the appointment of an institutional spokesperson when negotiating his return to the club. According to reports, the Portuguese coach wanted to avoid the fate of predecessors Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso, both of whom reportedly chafed at carrying the club’s public relations burden.
With a demanding schedule featuring Champions League fixtures intercalated between LaLiga matches, Mourinho has found himself conducting up to six press conferences a week. While observers initially noted a more measured, zen approach from the 64-year-old manager, tensions boiled over following the Atlético match. Mourinho appeared in the press room brandishing printed images of challenges involving Kang-In and Federico Valverde, as well as Romero and Jude Bellingham, launching a direct critique against the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) and referee Ortiz Arias.
Institutional Friction with LaLiga and Refereeing Authorities
Mourinho was notably absent from the annual professional football coaches meeting with the CTA at Las Rozas, though organizers confirmed the absence stemmed from a previously communicated scheduling conflict involving private matters. Meanwhile, the club itself escalated tensions off the pitch. Real Madrid published a scathing official statement targeting LaLiga president Javier Tebas over his public commentary regarding the club’s sporting strategy and disciplinary controversies.
In its strongly worded statement, the club condemned Tebas, asserting that it is “intolerable that the president uses his position institutional to attack Madrid.” The statement added that Tebas “continues to prejudice the image of our competition” by continuously commenting on club matters. As Real Madrid prepares for its next fixtures, the growing friction involving managerial media duties, refereeing disputes, and executive-level feuds highlights a turbulent atmosphere at the club.
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