Real Madrid faced a disappointing setback on Friday evening at La Cartuja, succumbing to a 1-0 defeat against Real Betis. The match saw Los Blancos create several scoring opportunities in the first half, but they were unable to convert any of them into goals. The turning point came late in the game when Troy Parrott found the net for Betis, sealing the victory for the home side. The frustration for Madrid was compounded when Kylian Mbappe missed a crucial penalty in the dying moments of the match.
In the aftermath of the match, head coach Jose Mourinho addressed the media to discuss the performance of his team. He expressed his belief that Real Madrid did not deserve to leave Seville empty-handed. "I think the team played a great game. Sometimes you lose and you don’t know why; sometimes it gets lost and you don’t know how to explain it. We were very dominant, our imperial centre-backs have controlled absolutely everything, there was a lot of offensive play, a lot of goal opportunities. If it ends in a draw, we leave frustrated because we have done more, so imagine how it feels with the defeat," Mourinho stated.
Mourinho further elaborated on the match, stating, "I don’t know why we lost. I don’t know how to justify it, because collectively the team played very well, very well in all aspects. Individually too, I have nothing to reproach any player with his attitude. People have left everything. We deserved to win, but deserving doesn’t give you points. Congratulations to Betis, who played for a draw and got the upper hand." His comments reflect the disappointment of a team that has high expectations and ambitions in La Liga.
The discussion then shifted to the officiating, with Mourinho providing a measured assessment of the referee's performance. He noted that he had not seen the offside goal by Carlos Espi or the alleged encroachment during Mbappe’s penalty attempt. "I don’t know why I got a yellow, but it’s okay, I accept it. I reacted because a Betis player looked like he was dead there in front of the bench… but I don’t know. The situation of the penalty, the replay of the penalty, the goal by Espí… I don’t know, I can’t tell you. I think he has let play go, which is something I like. In this sense, I always like a referee who lets play go," he commented.
Mourinho also expressed some frustration regarding the yellow cards issued during the match, particularly highlighting the disparity in card distribution. "The criterion of the yellows in the first half, that Betis reached the break without cards and poor Arda, who only knows how to play football, with a yellow card… I didn’t like it. But after losing a game, saying it’s because of a yellow card, no, I don’t do it. I can change my mind by watching the game tomorrow," he added.
One of the more contentious decisions of the evening was the substitution of Arda Guler, who was taken off due to concerns over his yellow card status. Mourinho lamented the decision, stating, "It’s always difficult to replace Arda, yes. Very difficult. Because he was playing very well. Betis players are… in that sense they are smarter than Real Madrid’s. Real Madrid’s are pure, naïve. The first play of the match is a clear yellow card to a player who has hit Valverde. A minute later, another yellow card for a player who has made an important foul on Vinicius. But the Real Madrid players get up immediately. Betis players are smarter… they are smarter. And obviously with the support of a fantastic crowd that pushes, presses… They get this kind of thing."
Despite the loss, Mourinho praised Espi for his impactful performance off the bench, noting his potential and work ethic. "A boy who comes in with 10/15 minutes to go and scores a fantastic goal that later, I don’t know… it may or may not be offside… But he’s an important player for us. We haven’t picked up points as a result of his work, but he did his job well. He has done well. He is a boy with great potential, and he will go further, because he is humble, hardworking, he wants to learn. I couldn’t be happier with him," Mourinho concluded, highlighting the silver lining in an otherwise frustrating night for the team.
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