After the 0-2 Defeat: Maffeo Rages in DAZN Interview and Takes Aim at the Referee

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents After the 0-2 Defeat: Maffeo Rages in DAZN Interview and Takes Aim at the Referee.

On November 7, 2026, the first half of the league match at Mestalla ended with Real Madrid leading 0-2 against Valencia. Madrid's goals were scored by Federico Valverde and Arda Güler. The first goal also became a point of contention, according to Mundo Deportivo: a foul had been awarded against Kylian Mbappé in Pablo Maffeo's area.

For Maffeo, the decision was not simply a minor complaint. During DAZN's halftime show, he said the referee had to make fairer decisions. In his view, it had not been a foul when the first goal was scored. According to Maffeo, this decision had affected Valencia afterward.

The 0-2 Lead Triggers Maffeo's Outburst on DAZN

He directly attacks the interview situation

Maffeo did not begin the halftime conversation with an objective analysis of the game. He immediately said he had no interest in doing the interview at all. The conversation was “bullshit” and served no purpose, even though Valencia was still playing.

His criticism was therefore directed at two things: the format of the interview and the decisions made on the pitch. He explained that referees would blow their whistles for fouls that had not been committed, although he did not complain in detail about individual decisions. His words also did not sound like the beginning of a lengthy media dispute. He told the interviewers to ask the questions they wanted to ask and said: “And that's that.”

I have absolutely no desire to do this interview. I think it's bullshit. This interview serves no purpose. We're in the middle of a game.

The wording was deliberately blunt: “I don't like doing this interview”, “This interview is bullshit” and “We're in the middle of a game”. According to ABC.es, Maffeo was visibly irritated as he said these lines. The report also says the interviewer tried to steer the conversation back to what was happening on the pitch.

The Whistle for Mbappé Becomes the Focus of His Criticism

Why the referee was decisive for him

For the first goal, Mbappé went down after being fouled by Maffeo, and the referee awarded the free kick. Valverde's subsequent goal put Real Madrid 1-0 ahead, according to the reports. In the interview, Maffeo said the whistle had not been for a foul.

He thus connected a specific refereeing decision with the course of the game. He did not claim that Valencia had consequently lost every further attacking opportunity. He said only that the decision had “influenced” the team. He also identified a lack of access to the opposing penalty area and flow in the game as further problems.

This was the concrete core of his remarks: Maffeo cited the whistle as a factor that had influenced the match. At the same time, he did not fundamentally rate his team's performance poorly. “I think the team is fighting well”, he said. His anger was therefore directed more strongly at the decision and the situation it created than at his team's attitude.

The Scene Ends After Just a Few Sentences

Why the conversation did not become a lengthy media round

After Maffeo had criticized the referee, ABC.es reported that it was clear the interview could not continue for much longer. The interviewer ended the conversation. Maffeo walked toward the dressing room with “the same disgruntled expression” with which he had begun the interview.

The scene therefore had a clear sequence: First, Maffeo refused to engage warmly with the interview. Then he criticized the referee's decisions. Finally, the conversation was ended without becoming a detailed analysis of the match. At that point, his team was two goals behind.

No Dispute Involving Vinícius Junior

A first impression might suggest a different explanation. ABC.es, however, explicitly wrote that Vinícius Junior played no role in the matter. The dispute over Maffeo's comments was not about a conflict with the Brazilian Real Madrid striker.

The focus was on the foul call against Mbappé, Maffeo's demand for fairer decisions from the referee and his frustration at having to answer questions in front of the DAZN cameras during the break. His comments about the team's lack of buildup added a second issue to his criticism: Valencia struggled in the second half to get the ball into the opponent's penalty area and play with fluidity.

What Maffeo Said About the Valencia Team

It is precisely the final part of his interview that makes the scene noteworthy. After the fierce opening and his direct attack on the referee, Maffeo moderated his frustration. He explained that the team was in good shape and fighting well.

His criticism therefore did not include a general verdict on Valencia. He identified a specific foul call, the impact it had on the game and problems with the team's buildup. At the same time, he said it had not been a foul decision. Taken together, this provides a clearer picture than the headline alone: Maffeo was angry about the interview and considered the referee's decision unfair, but he gave his team credit for being in a good competitive situation.

Mundo Deportivo provides the basis for the score, the scorers and the foul situation involving Mbappé. ABC.es documents the course of the DAZN interview, Maffeo's direct words and the scene's abrupt end.