The Real Madrid coach voiced his frustration after his side’s Champions League victory over Leipzig, when he was asked about reports suggesting Juan Martínez Munuera would referee Sunday’s Clásico and Iglesias Villanueva would be on VAR duty.
Mourinho’s objection was not directed at the officials themselves, but at the fact that their names were circulating before the formal announcement. He believes the appointment process should be respected rather than becoming a subject of public debate days ahead of a major match.
“I don't think it's true. Or, if it's true, it comes out of context because the referee is official 24 hours before the match,” Mourinho said. “This is a type of information that I don't like and I'm not referring to the referee.”
The Portuguese had already raised the issue before Real Madrid’s meeting with Roma, questioning why the identity of a referee could be discussed weeks before a fixture when the official appointment was supposed to be announced the day before.
“I trust all referees. The only thing that makes me doubt is when the name of the referee is known three weeks before the match and not 24 hours before,” he said on that occasion.
The latest reports have revived his concerns just before one of Spanish football’s biggest fixtures. Mourinho believes early disclosure puts the appointed referee under unnecessary scrutiny, allowing discussion of previous decisions and perceived tendencies to dominate the build-up.
That attention can create an atmosphere around the official before the game has even begun, with every past decision potentially becoming part of the wider debate. Mourinho’s comments suggest he would prefer the focus to remain on the teams and the match itself until the formal announcement is made.
The issue has also surfaced around the Madrid derby, when the name of the expected referee reportedly emerged before the official confirmation. Mourinho sees the repetition as a reason to question how such information reaches the public.
His remarks after Leipzig were brief, but they reinforced a position he had already made clear. He did not accuse Martínez Munuera or Iglesias Villanueva of wrongdoing, nor did he claim that a particular referee would be unsuitable for the Clásico.
Instead, his criticism centred on the process and the consequences of information appearing before the relevant body has confirmed it. With Real Madrid preparing to visit Barcelona, Mourinho has made it clear that he does not want the referee discussion to become another distraction around the fixture.
The appointment remains a matter for the official authorities to confirm. For Mourinho, the principle is straightforward: the names should be announced at the appropriate time, not circulated in advance through leaks.