Real Madrid mocks Atletico: “If it hurts you, respect fades”

Real Madrid hit back at Atletico and its social media campaign “Stop acoso arbitral” with a sharp dose of irony. As MARCA explains, Real Madrid TV broadcast an almost four-minute video that compiles recent moments linked to Atletico’s complaints, framing the message around the idea that the tone changes when decisions don’t go their way.

The video’s hook is simple: it argues Atletico “asks for respect” only in some moments. The off-screen voice underscores the main line — if it harms you, you don’t respect so much — and uses that to contrast what Atletico demands publicly with what Real Madrid says it shows when things don’t match its interests.

Reply via video and social media

Diego Simeone features heavily in the montage. MARCA recalls that Simeone once described LaLiga as “dangerously prepared for Madrid” and also referenced a Champions tie by asking people to “raise a hand if they’ve seen a double touch from Julian”. The video also brings up heated moments involving referees, including the claim that “here there isn’t much respect, rather insults to referees.”

The broadcast further points to communications Atletico issued after recent derbies, quoting a stance that, as the video puts it, suggests that observers can see that “for a decade” the same thing happens and that the system “is like this” and people get used to it. It also revisits a tweet from Atletico’s official account along the lines of “retweet if you want the rules to apply to everyone,” and even includes other images tied to referee-related controversy.

Mourinho and other figures

MARCA adds that the montage also includes scenes linked to José Mourinho and his remarks after the derby, plus a final reference to Gregorio Manzano — the former Atletico coach who now “designates referees.” Overall, the message is clear: in Real Madrid’s view, respect disappears when “bad news” arrives.