In a surprising turn of events, Real Betis secured a 2-1 victory over the visiting Real Madrid on Saturday during the 26th round of the Spanish La Liga. This defeat left Real Madrid at 54 points, placing them second in the standings, just behind the league leaders, Barcelona. The latter is set to face Real Sociedad on Sunday in the same round of matches. This loss poses a critical challenge for Real Madrid, especially as they prepare to meet Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 matchup.
The match kicked off with Real Madrid applying early pressure, relying on their attacking trio of Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé, and Rodrygo, supported in midfield by their captain, Luka Modrić. Madrid opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Ibrahim Díaz found the net. He maneuvered through Betis’s defense thanks to a pivotal pass from Mbappé, which was set up by left-back Ferland Mendy. Mendy made a run from the back, delivering a low ground pass to Díaz who clinically finished the move, putting Real Madrid ahead.
Despite this early lead for Madrid, Real Betis was undeterred and launched a series of aggressive assaults aimed at finding an equalizer. Led by their star player and former Madrid midfielder Isco, alongside Anthony, who joined on loan from Manchester United, Betis threatened repeatedly. Their persistence paid off in the 34th minute when Joni Cardoso scored the equalizer. Cardoso capitalized on a corner kick taken by Isco, directing a powerful header past Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, thus bringing the first half to a close with the score level at 1-1.
As the second half commenced, Real Betis displayed a more vigorous attacking approach, continuously probing for a second goal. This renewed energy caused significant disruptions for Madrid’s defense and Courtois, who was forced to make several crucial saves against Betis’s increasing threats. The pivotal moment came in the 54th minute when Real Madrid’s defender Antonio Rüdiger was deemed to have committed a foul in the box, resulting in a penalty for Betis. Former Real Madrid player Isco stepped up to take the penalty, converting it successfully to give Betis a 2-1 lead, scoring against his former club.
Real Madrid fought hard to level the match, but they were met with a remarkably resilient Betis defense that successfully thwarted several dangerous opportunities. The steadfastness of Betis’s back line, combined with the efforts from goalkeeper Adrián—also a former Madrid player—ensured that Madrid could not break through.
As the match drew to a close, there were no further changes in the scoreline, with the referee signaling the end of the game and confirming the 2-1 victory for Real Betis. This surprising outcome results in Real Madrid not only falling to second place but also missing the chance to momentarily overtake Barcelona in the league standings ahead of their upcoming encounter. With this loss, the pressure intensifies on Madrid as they navigate the critical period of the season, especially with the Champions League clash on the horizon.
