Mourinho returns to asking why: “Why wasn’t Mbappé’s penalty retaken against Betis?”

José Mourinho’s familiar stream of questions returned after his team’s defeat at Betis, with the Portuguese coach demanding an explanation for why Kylian Mbappé’s missed penalty was not retaken.

Speaking at Valdebebas before Tuesday’s meeting with Inter, Mourinho said he did not want to discuss refereeing standards as the reason for the loss. Real Madrid, he said, had created enough attacking production but failed to turn it into goals. He nevertheless wanted to know whether VAR had failed to apply the rules or had deliberately chosen not to intervene.

“Why wasn’t Mbappé’s penalty retaken because VAR did not know the rules or because VAR did not want to?” Mourinho asked. He also questioned why the referee did not call for a review on the monitor. If officials did not know the rule, he said, they should leave their positions. If they chose not to order a retake, he described that as even worse.

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Why wasn’t Mbappé’s penalty retaken because VAR did not know the rules or because VAR did not want to?

Mourinho added another question about Vinícius, asking why the Real Madrid captain received a yellow card when captains are generally told they may approach the referee respectfully. The complaints followed Mourinho’s earlier criticism at La Cartuja, where he objected to a yellow card and accused Betis players of feigning contact.

Despite the controversy, Mourinho offered warm words for Inter coach Cristian Chivu. “Chivu is one of mine and will always be one of mine, I love him and I hope he does very well,” he said. Real Madrid will enter the match without Güler, Camavinga and Bernardo Silva, who are suspended from the previous season.

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Chivu is one of mine and will always be one of mine, I love him and I hope he does very well.