José Mourinho criticized the choice of forward Federico Valverde as Man of the Match (MVP) in the match between Real Madrid and Inter Milan, which ended in a draw. The Portuguese coach considered the decision by UEFA's observers panel to be incorrect, stating sarcastically that "whoever decided was asleep" when awarding the prize to the Real Madrid player.
Mourinho, who has managed both Real Madrid and Inter Milan throughout his career, did not spare criticism of the way UEFA selects its observers to evaluate player performance during matches. The Portuguese clearly demonstrated his disagreement with Valverde's nomination for the match's most valuable player award.
The game in question was part of the group stage or a knockout round of the Champions League, the competition organized by UEFA. The MVP choice is normally made by a panel of technical observers designated by the governing body of European football.
This is not the first time Mourinho has publicly expressed his discontent with refereeing or organizational decisions in European football. The Portuguese coach has been frequently critical of various aspects of UEFA competition operations, maintaining a direct and forthright style in his media interventions.
