Álvaro Valles decides Real Madrid's fate against Betis
Real Madrid suffered its first defeat of the season under the management of José Mourinho by losing 1‑0 to Betis, with VAR overturning Carlos Espí’s goal and Kylian Mbappé missing the penalty saved by Álvaro Valles.
Parrott’s goal breaks the tie
Troy Parrott, cited by Reuters, scored Betis’s goal in the 81st minute, celebrating the strike that put his team ahead and consolidated the gap on the scoreboard. His celebration was captured in the stadium footage and became the reference point of the match.
Espí sees his equaliser ruled out
Carlos Espí, also known as Esp, levelled the match in the 87th minute, but VAR identified an off‑side position prior to the play and disallowed the goal, leaving Real Madrid without a response on the scoreboard. The video referee’s decision reignited tension in the final minutes.
Mbappé misses the decisive penalty
Kylian Mbappé, sometimes abbreviated as Mbapp, had the chance to equalise in added time, but Álvaro Valles denied him the penalty in the 92nd minute. The kick was retaken due to an alleged area invasion by the Betis centre‑back, but referee Hernández Hernández decided not to award it.
Thibaut Courtois made a spectacular save against Deossa before Parrott’s goal, but was left with no options after a rebound that left him motionless in the net. That play marked the start of the chain of mistakes the white team has been making.
Mourinho warns Asencio that repeated off‑field errors damage Real Madrid’s image
The Mourinho‑coached side created numerous chances: Vinícius, Huijsen and Arda Güler took part in attacks that tested Betis’s defence. Güler threaded passes and found Huijsen, whose shot forced Courtois into a hand‑save. Bellingham had a more subdued performance, while Vini received a killer pass that rattled the post.
The second half was marked by controversy: Hernández Hernández waved away Güler’s second yellow card and Betis appealed for a sanction against him for a foul on Marc Roca. Moreover, the referee judged that Marc Bartra was not inside the area when he attempted to block Mbappé’s penalty, which influenced the decision not to retake the kick.
At halftime, Real Madrid called for a timeout and lamented their set‑piece errors, while Isco’s departure left the team lacking energy and Fornals took over tactically. The lack of control intensified in the second half, with Betis maintaining the lead.
This defeat represents Real Madrid’s first setback in the second stage under Mourinho and the first loss in the season’s crucial test, according to the narrative and statistics that showed Betis 1‑0 Real Madrid.