Mourinho celebrates the Clasico, but accuses the VAR: it fell asleep

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho celebrated the 2-1 victory over Barcelona in the Clasico on Monday 26 October 2026, praising the referee and criticizing the VAR, which he said fell asleep at the 60th minute and noted that the decision could have changed the outcome of the match.

The result and the refereeing decisions

Real Madrid, led by José Mourinho, beat Barcelona 2-1 in the Clasico on Monday 26 October 2026. The result was cemented by a red card shown to João Cancelo for the foul on Bamba Diomande. Barça applied intense pressing for most of the match.

Mourinho praised the referee, calling him the protagonist of a great match, but accused the VAR of falling asleep at the 60th minute with a decision that could have changed the outcome of the match. The coach emphasized that this error had a huge impact on the result.

Mourinho's statements about the future

The coach described his players' performance as organized and courageous, stating it was the toughest match against a team that had only won in the league. He recalled the chances for the second goal, including a one‑on‑two involving Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé, and praised the composure maintained despite Barcelona's strong comeback.

Mou fired a barb at the journalists, claiming that no one would have asked about Andriy Lunin if he had made mistakes, and reiterated that he has the best goalkeeper in the world, Thibaut Courtois. He also noted that no player had cried before the match because they were not on the pitch, and highlighted the team's unity after five consecutive wins.

On the eve of the match, Mourinho had described Lamine Yamal as a great player, on par with Barcelona's teammates. After the game, he confirmed his ability, saying that from ten metres away he understood how difficult and intelligent he was to face. He also called it the toughest match ever played by César Cucurella against a high‑level opponent.

The match was broadcast live on Sportmediaset, with XXL‑format video, photos and commentary in the Football News section, alongside the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and Tennis. The page includes a Help area, FAQs, cookie policy information and Serie A data for October (Oct), as well as a Lifestyle section. Mourinho concluded by emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus for the upcoming challenges, aiming to continue the winning streak.