Giovanni Becali says Jose Mourinho respected referee Istvan Kovacs before Real Madrid match

Istvan Kovacs officiated the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig, which ended in a 4-1 victory for the Spanish side. This fixture was part of the third round of the main phase of the competition.

Giovanni Becali stated that Jose Mourinho had previously asked him what to expect from referee Istvan Kovacs. Becali claimed he warned Mourinho that Kovacs has personality and might issue yellow or red cards if mistakes occur during the game.

Becali noted that Mourinho had been refereed by Kovacs approximately three to four times before this encounter. The Romanian official revealed that Mourinho expressed respect for Kovacs' personality prior to the match against RB Leipzig.

Spanish media offered mixed reactions to the officiating performance. The newspaper AS praised referee Istvan Kovacs for his work. In contrast, Marca highlighted frequent game stoppages during the first 15 minutes of the match.

Tensions arose on the pitch when Kylian Mbappe approached referee Istvan Kovacs after halftime. The forward requested explanations for two denied foul calls.

Before the Real Madrid match, Istvan Kovacs' previous European assignment took place on August 11, 2026. He officiated the game between Bodo/Glimt and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

In the current season, Istvan Kovacs has officiated nine matches in total. This includes five games in the SuperLiga and two in the Champions League preliminaries.

Statistical records show that Kovacs has shown 43 yellow cards and four direct red cards in his matches so far. He has also awarded four penalties during this period.