Kylian Mbappé's Penalty Miss Costs Real Madrid in Dramatic Loss to Betis
Kylian Mbappé walked to the spot in stoppage time with the game on his boot and all the familiar swagger. Real Madrid were a kick away from salvaging a night that had been slipping from their grasp in Seville.
Alvaro Vallés had other ideas.
The Real Betis goalkeeper guessed right, sprang low to his right and pushed away Mbappé’s penalty, sealing a statement 1-0 win at the Estadio La Cartuja on Friday night and sending the home crowd into delirium. One save, three points, and a jolt to the early narrative of the Spanish season.
For a few tense moments, even that drama hung in the balance. Officials paused the ensuing corner to check whether Vallés had kept at least one foot on the line and that his body hadn’t strayed illegally forward when Mbappé struck the ball. The replay confirmed he had done everything by the book. No retake. No reprieve for Madrid.
Late chaos, no rescue
The penalty miss capped a wild final 10 minutes in which Real Madrid thought they had already found their escape route.
In the 87th minute, Vinícius Jr. produced a flash of genius inside the box, whipping an outside-of-the-boot pass into a crowded area. Carlos Espí met it with an acrobatic overhead kick, sending the ball past Vallés and into the Betis net. Madrid’s players wheeled away, convinced they had their equalizer.
Then came the check.
A video review showed an offside movement in the initial phase of the attack. The goal was wiped out, the stadium roared again, and the scoreboard stayed frozen at 1-0. Madrid’s frustration grew; Betis sensed something bigger was brewing.
The tension had been building ever since the 81st minute, when Ireland international Troy Parrott delivered the decisive blow. His strike gave Betis the lead and, with Madrid chasing the game, turned the closing stages into a siege.
Mourinho’s first setback
The defeat carries extra weight because of the man on the visiting bench. This is the first loss Real Madrid have suffered since José Mourinho’s return to the club, a reign that had started with all the bombast and momentum you would expect.
Until Seville, Madrid had ridden that wave. On this night, it broke.
Mourinho will not have much time to dwell on the officiating debates that will dominate the Spanish press in the coming days — from the disallowed Espí overhead to the forensic scrutiny of Vallés’ position on the penalty. The arguments will rage. The schedule will not slow.
Real Madrid, the 15-time kings of Europe, open their 2026-27 UEFA Champions League campaign on Sept. 8 with a home clash against Inter Milan. The questions now are obvious: was this just an early stumble, or the first sign that Mourinho’s second era in Madrid will be far more complicated than the opening weeks suggested?
