Jose Mourinho responded to Fermin Lopez and commented on refereeing disputes before the derby between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The Portuguese said that there are “other things“ that tire the Madrid club and they continue to happen.
“What can I say? There are other things that tire us, and they continue to happen“, said Mourinho after being asked about Fermin's words. The Barcelona midfielder previously said that the constant talk about referees is already exhausting.
Mourinho: The referee's name doesn't bother me
The Real Madrid coach was asked to comment on reports that José Luis Munuera Montero could referee the derby. The referee's name was mentioned in connection with public allegations about payments to the son of José María Enríquez Negreira, former vice-president of the technical committee of referees in Spain.
“The referee's name never bothers me. I start from the principle that the referee is good. What bothers me is the violation of the rules,“ said Mourinho.
The Portuguese clarified that he has no confirmation from the club about the specific appointment. According to him, various names have been mentioned in recent weeks, but no one at Real Madrid has told him that the club is rejecting a certain referee.
Real Madrid is six points behind
Barcelona welcomes Real Madrid as the leader in the standings. The Catalans have 27 points after nine rounds and have won all their matches. Real Madrid is third with 21 points, having recorded seven wins and two losses.
When asked if the derby would be a decisive test of Real Madrid's ambitions this season, Mourinho replied categorically: “No. Real Madrid with Mourinho wins titles.“
The match at “Camp Nou“ is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, at 9:00 p.m. Mourinho downplayed the stadium's influence on the match and said: “It's like we're playing in any other stadium. We are talking about a team with great quality, but nothing more than that.“
Sources: goal.com, as.com, eurosport.es