"There could not have been a penalty in the Xhuameni incident," Mourinho

Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has commented on the penalty that was disallowed against his team during their 3-0 win over Racing Santander in the 11th round of the 2026/2027 La Liga season and assessed the fans' reaction. The match took place at the Estadio Campos de Sport de El Sardinero (Santander). The referee was Jose Munuera Montero.

"In my opinion, they complain at every opportunity. I really like this stadium and the local fans: they have their own unique character, their own unique way of experiencing the game. They don't come just to watch a show, like in a movie, but they come to participate in the game, to be a part of the game, and they create very difficult conditions for the opposing team. But there's one thing: people support with all their heart, but many of them don't really know the rules. And, frankly, the rules change so often that the fans just don't understand."

"In the Xhuameni incident, there could not have been a penalty because the ball ricocheted; it was simply not a penalty. When the referee awarded the penalty, I remained calm and after seeing the video on the monitor, I understood that if the VAR had worked as it should, there should not have been a penalty. It is clear to me that there was no foul," Mourinho was quoted as saying by Marca.