José Mourinho skipped his post-match press conference after Real Madrid edged Villarreal 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu in the eighth round of La Liga.
According to Marca, the La Liga body confirmed the Portuguese's absence 40 minutes after the final whistle. He never showed up in the press room.
No Real Madrid player spoke either. It's a scene that has become routine this season.
The real story, though, is Mourinho himself. He chose to stay quiet, Marca learned, fearing that any comment on the officiating would land him a ban.
"I will not speak because I want to be sitting on the bench against Sevilla and Barcelona," the manager said.
Referee Díaz de Mera had infuriated the Portuguese throughout the match, and it showed. Vinícius' red card was the straw that broke the camel's back.
His anger had been simmering since the derby, where he reckoned Atlético Madrid deserved to finish with nine men. The sending-off of the Brazilian for pulling Saliba's hair only tipped him over the edge.
Round after round, the fury inside Real Madrid at the officiating keeps mounting, with the Negreira case lingering in the background.
So Mourinho chose silence and a chance to catch his breath. He has pushed his next media appearance back to Tuesday, when he faces the press ahead of the Champions League clash with Roma.