Mourinho to skip Spanish coaches' meeting after Real Madrid refereeing dispute

The Real Madrid manager will be absent from Tuesday's annual gathering of La Liga and Segunda coaches after his criticism of officials following the Madrid derby.

Jose Mourinho will not attend the annual meeting of coaches from Spain's top two divisions, scheduled for Tuesday, according to Diario AS. The Real Madrid manager has reportedly already communicated his reasons for missing the gathering.

The news comes amid an open dispute between Real Madrid and Spanish match officials. The club had already raised concerns about refereeing earlier in the 2026-27 season, but tensions escalated during the Madrid derby against Atletico.

In that match, referee Ortiz Arias was at the center of several controversies. Real Madrid had a player sent off when Dean Huijsen received a red card, while Atletico's Cuti Romero and Kang-In Lee avoided red cards in separate incidents. A handball by Marc Pubill inside the Atletico penalty area also went uncalled.

Mourinho harshly criticized the Spanish federation and the match officials after the game. The annual coaches' meeting typically serves as a forum to discuss issues including finances and refereeing, and is usually well attended.

Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone, who has rarely missed past meetings, is also doubtful to attend for personal reasons, while Barcelona's Hansi Flick is expected to be present.