Old habits die hard? Real Madrid TV launches scathing accusation against La Liga coach
Real Madrid may have cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory at Mestalla, but tensions following the clash with Valencia are far from over.
Details: Real Madrid's official television channel, Real Madrid TV, has publicly accused Valencia head coach Javier Aguirre of deliberately instructing his teams to slow Los Blancos down through excessive fouling. The criticism resurfaced in the wake of Real Madrid's recent 3-0 LaLiga win at Mestalla on November 7, a match in which Aguirre's side committed 26 fouls compared to just six by the visitors.
To back up its claims, Real Madrid TV dug into the Mexican manager's previous spells in Spanish football, arguing that this tactical approach has been his blueprint for years. Specifically, the channel pointed back to his time in charge of Atlético Madrid—prior to Diego Simeone's arrival—highlighting an October 2006 derby in which midfielder Guti was fouled 11 times by players taking turns to disrupt his play.
The broadcast also revisited Aguirre's tenure at Mallorca between 2022 and 2024, recalling the relentless physical treatment Vinícius Júnior endured from defenders such as Pablo Maffeo and Antonio Raíllo. Notably, Maffeo now plays under Aguirre at Valencia and committed five fouls in 63 minutes during the recent Mestalla meeting before being substituted.
Despite Valencia's aggressive approach, which also saw Kylian Mbappé fouled six times and captain José Luis Gayà sent off late on, José Mourinho's side secured all three points through goals from Federico Valverde, Arda Güler, and Mbappé. Still, the sheer volume of fouls—a season-high suffered by Madrid in LaLiga—has reignited debate over Aguirre's methods and refereeing leniency.
Reminder: A special plan to save Vinicius! Mourinho faces a difficult dilemma at Real Madrid
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
