Real Madrid once again left empty-handed from Betis’ field. Neither at Benito Villamarín nor at La Cartuja has the white team won since 2021, succumbing to the frenzy of the Olympic stadium in a crazy ending, controversy included. A goal by Parrott in the 80th minute brought down José Mourinho’s team, leading to their first defeat, but Madrid resisted falling. They found the goal in an acrobatic shot by Espí just after coming on, which was disallowed for offside, and Mbappé missed a penalty in the 95th minute, the icing on a grim night for the Frenchman.
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First half (0-0)
Real Madrid was superior on points, with a Vinícius shot hitting the post and two very good chances for Mbappé just before halftime
Real Madrid appeared at La Cartuja with three changes compared to the team from last Sunday against Málaga: Dumfries at right-back for Trent, Konaté for Rüdiger on the right side of the central axis, and Arda Güler on the right wing for Brahim Díaz. Thus, Yan Diomande, the most expensive signing in the league (140 million euros), would remain on the bench for the fourth consecutive match.
For their part, Betis still could not count on their latest signing, former Madrid player Dani Ceballos, signed on Wednesday. Pellegrini also could not field Lo Celso or Ez Abde, but recovered Diego Llorente, Fornals, and Colombian Cucho Hernández up front.
With a sharper eleven and a higher defensive line, Real Madrid applied high pressure from the start on Betis’ ball distribution. Although the first sign of danger came from a long ball from midfield, with Betis’ defense stepping out, and Huijsen arriving from behind, who touched with the toe and was saved by Valles’ hand at 10 minutes. And again, on another Betis defensive exit, Mbappé passed to the right to Güler, who broke the offside trap and crossed to the far post where Vinícius first-timed the ball against the post (14th minute). Madrid’s threat loomed over a Betis that did not feel comfortable building up.
Betis shook off the white pressure and had their minutes of long possession, focusing on Courtois’ area. The best arguments came from Antony, with a shot that Courtois sent to corner (17th minute) and a volley too wide from Cucho (20th minute) after a skillful assist from Antony, also on the right, Cucurella’s side.
After the hydration break, Madrid was encouraged again down Güler’s right wing, the most active player. The Turk, in good form, played a ball between the lines into the heart of the area, which Vinícius could not reach.
But the best Madrid chances came from Mbappé in the 43rd minute. This new bearded Vinícius was generous, who after galloping and outpacing Bartra – who had just come on for the concussed Llorente – assisted the Frenchman at the penalty spot, who was not accurate. He hit the shot into an empty goal at Natan’s feet, and the rebound he sent hit Bartra’s body, who reacted well to his mistake. Mbappé could not understand what he had missed.
The Madrid siege did not end there, adding three more good chances in a row, two from Bellingham, a cross shot that went wide and a powerful header that Álvaro Valles saved with a dive (45th minute), and another from Huijsen, who headed onto the crossbar. Betis urgently awaited the halftime whistle, feeling shaken and without control of the ball.
Second half
Mbappé missed a penalty and Espí had a goal disallowed that would have equalized Parrott’s 1-0 in 15 final minutes of madness
The second half started with controversy as Hernández Hernández spared Arda Güler a second yellow card, and thus a sending off, for a clear cautionable foul on Marc Roca. Konaté did receive a yellow for another foul, and Mourinho protested it. La Cartuja heated up, outraged with the Canarian referee.
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Camavinga was next to be booked, Madrid had lost control of the match, which began to go crazy with the stands raising decibels pushing Betis. It was time to calm the budding verdiblanco revolt. Mourinho made three changes at once to regain control: Bernardo Silva for Camavinga to avoid being a man down, Trent for Dumfries, and Diomande for Güler (65th minute) seeking speed.
Madrid sought a lethal strike insisting on Mbappé’s counterattacks, the best with open field ahead. But not finishing. From a Huijsen pass on the left, the Frenchman again smashed the ball into the mass, the goalkeeper Valles, increasingly a verdiblanco hero (67th minute).
And Betis responded with another counter from Fran García assisting Parrott, who sent it just over the crossbar by a few centimeters, although the referee disallowed the action for offside (72nd minute).
There was a lack of air and an excess of heat at La Cartuja, suffocated at 32ºC. In the tactical battle, engineer Pellegrini made a move and brought on the skillful Rodrigo Riquelme for Antony to shake up the attack against a well-prepared Madrid. The reward came three minutes later. From a corner on the right, Deossa rose to head, Courtois flew to save the ball, but Parrott, ready with the stick, pushed the ball into the net. La Cartuja erupted.
Real Madrid resisted throwing in the towel. Mourinho gambled with Espí for Valverde, Mbappé, denied in finishing, hit the post (85th minute), and the young Valencian forward thanked the Portuguese with a superb acrobatic back-heel shot from a Vinícius cross. Betis claimed offside and VAR agreed, disallowing the goal for an offside position.
Madrid insisted and found a penalty for a foul by Natan on Vinícius (95th minute). Mbappé took it, to the left, and Valles guessed it. The Frenchman was off on everything. But Hernández Hernández made him retake it due to players entering the area, although VAR indicated it was unnecessary.
In the madness, Espí had a chance to equalize with another header in the 97th minute that Valles spectacularly saved. Madrid left Betis’ ground empty-handed once again.
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