It was always going to be a night that tested the nerves — but nobody in the Real Madrid fanbase was quite prepared for the manner in which Los Blancos dropped their first points of the 2026/27 La Liga season. A defeat away at Real Betis, sealed in the most infuriating of fashions, has sent the Madridista faithful into full meltdown mode, and honestly? It’s hard to blame them.
What Happened at La Cartuja
The damage was done by Troy Parrott, the summer signing who came off the bench to net his first goal in a Betis shirt and hand José Mourinho’s side a mountain to climb late in the game. With time running out, it looked like Real Madrid were about to be handed a lifeline when a foul on Vinícius Jr. inside the Betis penalty area saw the referee point to the spot. Step forward Kylian Mbappé — the man you want taking the biggest kicks in the biggest moments.
Except this time, Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Vallés had other ideas. He got down to his left and denied Mbappé, leaving the Frenchman — and an entire fanbase — stunned. But that save wasn’t even the main talking point. What really got supporters’ blood boiling was what happened next. As Mbappé struck his penalty, Marc Bartra was already inside the penalty area — a clear infringement of the rules, which state that outfield players must remain outside the box until the ball is struck. Bartra then cleared the rebound, effectively ending Madrid’s hopes of salvaging a point.
The referee took a look at the situation and decided no retake was necessary. VAR, seemingly, agreed. Cue absolute pandemonium on social media.
The Madridista Reaction
Madrid supporters were understandably furious, flooding X (formerly Twitter) with their outrage. Footage circulating online showed clearly that a Betis defender was inside the box before Mbappé made contact with the ball. Under the laws of the game, that should have resulted in the penalty being retaken, regardless of whether the save was made. Instead, the officials let the result stand.
The reaction from the fanbase ranged from disbelief to outright accusations of foul play. One supporter account simply posted “corruption” — no explanation needed, no further commentary required. That single word probably captured the mood of a few million people watching around the world. Another viral post from the Madrid Zone account laid it out bluntly: “The Betis player who cleared the ball was inside the box BEFORE the penalty was taken. The referee has decided it will NOT be retaken.” The bewildered laughing emojis attached to that tweet told their own story.
Whether the officials made a genuine error or something more sinister is in the eye of the beholder — but the lack of VAR intervention in what appeared to be a clear-cut rule breach is the kind of thing that leaves a very bad taste, regardless of which club you support.
What This Means for Real Madrid’s Season
The defeat is a significant moment in the context of the early-season La Liga table. Dropping three points away from home — particularly in such contentious circumstances — is the kind of result that can set a negative tone if the squad doesn’t respond. Under José Mourinho, a manager who has historically had a very particular relationship with match officials and refereeing controversies, don’t expect the reaction at the club to be a quiet one either.
For Mbappé, a missed penalty is never ideal for the confidence — though in fairness to the Frenchman, he was let down by those around him in the sense that the rules weren’t properly enforced when they should have been. He still had the courage to step up, and that counts for something.
Real Madrid will need to regroup quickly. La Liga title races are invariably settled by the finest of margins, and every dropped point in the early weeks of the season has a habit of coming back to haunt you come May. The Madridistas will be desperate to see a response — and fast.
Why Mbappé's Penalty Wasn't Retaken vs Betis — Explained · More LaLiga news
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