It was a bitter Friday night in Seville — Real Madrid’s perfect start to the 2026/27 La Liga season came crashing to a halt at La Cartuja — but at least one Blanco left the stadium with something to smile about. Arda Güler was named the official Man of the Match, even as his side suffered their first defeat of the campaign against Real Betis.
What Happened
José Mourinho’s men arrived in Seville riding high, having banked three wins from three to open the season in style. A trip to Betis is never easy, but confidence was high. The match, however, did not go to plan. It remained goalless deep into the contest before Troy Parrott came off the bench to break the deadlock late on. Real Madrid were then handed a golden opportunity to level things up in injury time, but Kylian Mbappé stepped up to take the spot-kick and missed — sealing a 1-0 defeat that will sting hard.
The loss drops Mourinho’s side from their lofty perch atop the early standings and serves as a reminder that, even with one of the most star-studded squads in world football, no three points are guaranteed in La Liga. Betis, playing at the temporary home of La Cartuja, will be absolutely buzzing after this one.
Amid the gloom, though, Arda Güler was a ray of light. The Turkish midfielder — handed a starting berth following a sharp start to the season on a personal level — produced a display full of creativity, flair and clever ball movement. His performance stood out to the extent that he was officially recognised as the best player on the pitch despite being on the losing side. That’s a statement in itself.
What It Means for Real Madrid
Mbappé’s penalty miss will inevitably grab the headlines, and rightly so — those are the moments that define title races. But the Güler story is arguably the more interesting subplot. The young Turk has been one of the most naturally gifted players to come through Real Madrid’s doors in recent years, and whenever he’s been given consistent opportunity, he’s shown the quality to justify a regular place in the starting XI.
For Madridistas who have been clamouring to see Güler given a sustained run in the team, tonight was another piece of evidence in his favour. Winning Man of the Match in any fixture is impressive; doing it in a high-pressure away game where your team loses — and where bigger names around you fell short — says everything about his mentality and his ability to influence a match.
As a general observation, Real Madrid’s midfield depth has always been one of their greatest assets, and Güler adds a different dimension to it: that creative, unpredictable flair that can unlock defences in tight games. On a night when the attack ultimately misfired at the crucial moment, Güler’s positive display at least gives the coaching staff something to build on.
What’s Next
Real Madrid will need to regroup quickly. Dropping points this early in the season isn’t a disaster — it’s a long campaign and one defeat doesn’t undo three wins — but the manner of the loss, particularly the missed penalty, will hurt. Mourinho will be demanding a response, and knowing how he operates, expect a fired-up Bernabéu performance next time out.
For Güler, the priority now is building on this. Consistency is the final frontier for a player of his talent, and if he can string performances like this together week after week, he could well become one of the defining players of this Real Madrid era. Tonight in Seville was a bad night for the team — but a very good night for Arda Güler.
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