Manolo Gonzalez questions refereeing after Espanyol's loss to Real Madrid

Espanyol manager Manolo Gonzalez expressed dissatisfaction with referee decisions following his team's 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on August 22, 2026. While he praised his players' defensive performance, he criticized the match officiating, highlighting what he perceived as an inconsistent application of fouls between both teams. Gonzalez acknowledged his team's struggle to counter-attack as fatigue became a factor in the match's later stages. He also addressed comments from Real Madrid's coach Jose Mourinho regarding the treatment of Vinicius Junior, denying any intentional targeting of the player during the match.

• 4:28 PMYahoo Sports — Espanyol Manager Manolo Gonzalez: “Real Madrid’s fouls weren’t counted”