Real Betis 1-0 Real Madrid. First defeat this season for Real Madrid… This is my immediate reaction to the loss. More for you: player ratings, quotes and podcasts.
So far it has been good for Real Madrid this season, but Real Betis will present a different challenge, and are unlikely to go down without a fight. Denzel Dumfries returns to the lineup, with Mark Cucurella starting at the other end. The rest of the team was as many had imagined them to be before the match, with Yann Diomande still waiting for his chance. Some familiar faces were scattered among the opposition ranks. Fede Valverde led the team.
The first half was full of missed opportunities, with Dean Huyson testing the goalkeeper and Vinicius Junior hitting the post. Betis then had two conceded chances before Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham ended the half with misses (before Dean came close again and hit the crossbar). Each square at the end of the first half.
A red mist descended onto the field in the second half. Yellow cards were being handed out in numbers, and chances were starting to slow down. Kylian Mbappe came closest for Real Madrid – before Troy Parrott put Betis ahead after coming off the bench. Carlos Espe looked to be cementing his status as Real Madrid’s go-to substitute, but a late equalizer was ruled out by VAR for offside. Real Madrid was unable to achieve an equalizer in the remaining minutes, even from a penalty kick, as Mbappe missed a life-saving opportunity from a penalty kick. 1-0 final score, and first stumble, early in the season. Are you calm or has the panic button been hit hard?
