It was supposed to be the historic image of the day, the first handshake between Hansi Flick and Jose Mourinho as El Clasico rivals. The Portuguese decided to flee at the last moment.
Everyone had been anticipating the meeting in the football city of Las Rozas. The Barcelona coach turned up. So did Diego Simeone. But the Real Madrid coach never appeared, leaving behind a fresh storm of controversy and a firm response from the Atletico boss.
A surprise absence delays the first meeting
Flick attended Tuesday's annual meeting of first and second division coaches at the headquarters of the Spanish Football Federation, according to "Mundo Deportivo". The gathering serves as an annual platform for coaches to air their grievances and concerns.
This was set to be the very first meeting between Flick and Mourinho. Yet the Real Madrid coach stayed away, citing what was described as a "scheduling conflict" and denying everyone the awaited scene.
Simeone responds to refereeing accusations
Simeone showed up just days after his victory in the Madrid derby, and he distanced himself from the scathing criticism Mourinho had directed at the officials.
The Portuguese coach had lodged a lengthy complaint against referee Ortiz Arias, complete with images of two controversial incidents in the derby. That drew a barrage of criticism his way, with many suggesting he stayed away from the meeting to avoid confrontation.
Simeone's response came firmly: "We respect everyone's opinions, but we must remember that Flick, Mourinho, Pellegrini and Simeone enjoy a special status, with a great deal of media exposure as coaches, and we must be careful about what we say."
A forum for grievances and salaries
These meetings have long served as a vital platform for coaches. In previous years they raised the cases of colleagues who had not been paid their wages by their clubs. Open discussion with referees is a regular fixture too, as the forum lets coaches pose questions and referees answer them to bring the two sides closer together.
The new date: 25 October
Flick and Mourinho will now have to wait until 25 October for their first real meeting, the date of this season's first Clasico at the Camp Nou. It will be the fifth match since the league resumed.
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The pair have faced each other only once before, back in the 2019/2020 season, when Flick's Bayern Munich beat Mourinho's Tottenham 3-1 in the final match of the Champions League group stage.