Real Madrid's Perfect Start Ends with Betis Defeat

Real Madrid’s perfect start to the league is over, snapped in stoppage time drama and a roar from Seville.

At the Benito Villamarín, Jose Mourinho’s side suffered their first defeat since his return, beaten 1-0 by a Real Betis team that refused to be overawed. Madrid arrived with three wins from three in La Liga. They left with questions, frustration, and the image of a saved Kylian Mbappé penalty burned into the night.

Parrott pounces, Courtois beaten at last

The decisive moment came when Betis finally broke through a Madrid defence that had bent but not broken for most of the evening.

A Betis header forced Thibaut Courtois into a sharp stop, the Belgian reacting well to push the effort away. The danger should have been cleared. It wasn’t. Troy Parrott, alert and ruthless on his home debut, reacted quickest and drove the loose ball in. An Irish striker, a scrappy goal, and a stadium erupting.

Madrid, stunned, chased the game from there.

Mbappé denied at the death

They almost escaped with a point.

Deep into injury time, Vinícius Júnior burst into the box and was chopped down by Natan. The referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped Mbappé, the man built for these moments, the one Madrid trusted to drag them level with virtually the last kick.

But Álvaro Vallés had other ideas.

The Betis goalkeeper, outstanding all night, guessed right and smothered Mbappé’s penalty, sealing both his own starring role and Madrid’s first loss of the domestic campaign.

The whistle went soon after. Betis celebrated a statement win. Madrid walked off knowing the margin for error in this title race has already shrunk.