Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho launches scathing attack on VAR over Kylian Mbappe penalty controversy

Mourinho has questioned refereeing criteria following his side's defeat to Betis. The defeat featured controversy surrounding a penalty taken by Mbappe that was not retaken.

Speaking in his press conference before Madrid's Champions League tie against Inter, Mourinho highlighted the officiating errors. While admitting Madrid lost due to missed chances, he demanded clarity on why VAR failed to intervene. The Portuguese manager expressed confusion over why officials failed to apply the laws of the game.

Mourinho questioned whether the decision was down to ignorance or deliberate choice. He insisted that incompetent officials should not be operating the technology during matches.

"We lost to Betis because we failed to convert our attacking play into goals," Mourinho said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo. "But regarding the penalty, why wasn't it retaken? Was it because VAR didn't know the rules, or because they chose not to? Why? If VAR didn't order a retake because they didn't know the regulations, they should go home; if they chose not to, that’s even worse. And why didn't VAR call the referee over? It’s strange.

"I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they didn't know the rules, but if that's the case, they shouldn't be in the VAR room. They should go home. Because what will happen is that, in the coming months, if the exact same situation arises, the penalty will be retaken. I want to make it clear that we didn't lose because of that - we might well have missed the retake - but as a football coach, I want to know why it wasn't retaken."

Beyond the penalty incident, Mourinho also questioned a yellow card shown to Vinicius. The Brazilian winger received a booking after approaching the referee to seek clarification.

"Another thing I want to know is why Vinicius, as captain, couldn't approach the referee to ask for an explanation," Mourinho remarked.

Despite his frustration with Liga officiating, Mourinho must quickly refocus his squad on European duties. Madrid host Inter in a crucial Champions League group-stage encounter. Los Blancos will aim to put the domestic disappointment behind them and secure a vital victory against Nerazzurri at the Santiago Bernabeu.