Mourinho lost the derby, then went after the officials

Real Madrid went down 2:1 to Atlético at the Metropolitano, and José Mourinho came out to the press with an old, well-rehearsed number - it is not us, it is the referee. The Portuguese insists Cristian Romero should have been sent off for stamping on Jude Bellingham back in the first half, and that Lee Kang-in should have followed after his challenge on Federico Valverde. "Those were two clear red cards," he said, before adding that all he can do is embrace his players. The problem with that arithmetic is that the real turning point came from his own player: Dean Huijsen was sent off in the 50th minute after bringing down Giuliano Simeone in the box. Alejandro Grimaldo converted the penalty, Jonathan David doubled it in the 59th, and Antonio Rüdiger's header from a Bernardo Silva free kick came too late. Real are now six points behind Barcelona and have gone two seasons without a trophy. Mourinho was brought in precisely to end that drought - so far he is only ending the silence after matches.

Álvarez is fighting with his agent, but he is really fighting with Atlético

Julián Álvarez, according to Mundo Deportivo, is seriously considering replacing Fernando Hidalgo, the man who has run his career since it began. The reason: a summer transfer saga towards Barcelona that ended in nothing, except a ruined relationship with Atlético's supporters. The Argentine has already spoken to The Elegant Game, Javier Pastore's agency - the same one that helped Enzo Fernández engineer his exit from Chelsea. Atlético's chief executive, Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, publicly blamed the player's representatives and Barcelona for the way the story was handled. The club was willing to sell him to anyone except a direct rival for the title. Changing agent makes no sense if the man has settled - it only makes sense if he still wants out. Three appearances this season, no goals, one assist against Liverpool. The story is not over, only paused.

Cole Palmer withdrew from England, Tuchel is losing half a squad

Cole Palmer got the call from Thomas Tuchel after his embarrassing omission from the World Cup squad - and immediately withdrew. Chelsea held him back over a muscle problem and a congested schedule, only days after he played a full 90 minutes in the 3:0 defeat to Brentford. The 24-year-old has four goals and two assists in seven matches this season, which means this is not a player in crisis but a club unwilling to take a risk. The absentee list is growing: Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are doubts at Manchester United. England open the Nations League against world champions Spain at Wembley on 26 September, then travel to Prague to face the Czechs. A manager losing players before a match with Spain - having himself decided who not to call up for the World Cup - does not have much room for excuses.

Slovenia lose Šeško right before Macedonia

This is the news that has the Macedonian fan smiling today. Benjamin Šeško, the biggest star of the Slovenian national team and a Manchester United forward worth 74 million pounds, has withdrawn from the squad with a recurrence of a shin injury. Old Trafford made it official: detailed scans this week, then an individual rehabilitation plan. United have a break until 10 October and clearly do not want to throw him into the fire. Macedonia travel to Ljubljana on 29 September, three days after hosting Switzerland in Skopje - and Switzerland, in turn, arrive without Granit Xhaka. The two biggest opponents in the group both lost their leaders, in the same week, without Macedonia lifting a finger. The question that remains is whether this will be used, or only mentioned later as a missed chance.

Four matches in ten days and one debutant from Shkëndija

Goce Sedloski has named his first squad for a new cycle in which Macedonia plays for the first time in League B of the Nations League, in a group with Switzerland, Slovenia and Scotland. The schedule is brutal: four matches in ten days, at home to Switzerland on 26 September, in Ljubljana on the 29th, then Scotland on 3 October and Switzerland on the 6th. Under Sedloski the national team still has neither a win nor a goal scored - a figure that does not call for comment but for an answer. Among the new names is Shkëndija defender Anes Meljiqi, receiving his first senior call-up. "We have four difficult matches, but right now we should be thinking only about Switzerland," he says, promising his maximum in every minute he is given. A debutant talking soberly while managers and expectations change around him - that is a healthier starting point than big announcements.