Real Madrid suffered an embarrassing La Liga defeat with Real Betis winning 1-0, and Kylian Mbappe missed a late penalty. Troy Parrott came on in a historic first performance for Real Betis to give the hosts a huge win and end Real Madrid’s perfect start to the season.
Madrid had won all three of their league games under Jose Mourinho, who is in his second spell with the Spanish giants. The visitors were expected to keep up their excellent start but despite dominating throughout and generating several clear chances in the game they were not able to overcome a tough Betis side.
For much of the evening, the match was still goalless and Real Madrid made a number of promising attacking moves. Vinicius Junior came close in the first half to strike the post after a fine pass from Arda Guler in the face of goal.
Mbappe also had chances to put Madrid ahead. The French superstar was denied on several occasions as Betis defenders Natan and Marc Bartra made some crucial blocks during a fast Real Madrid counter-attack. Betis were disciplined in the back and continued to frustrate Mourinho’s side despite Madrid’s growing pressure.
As the match moved into its final stages, Real Betis provided the moment that changed everything. Nine minutes from time, the hosts took a surprise lead with Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott.
The goal came after Thibaut Courtois had made a fine save to deflect Nelson Deossa's header on goal. But the rebound fell into a tricky area, and Parrott reacted quickly to send the ball home and send the Betis fans into celebration.
Parrott was particularly special from this moment with the move from AZ Alkmaar to Seville last month to get a five-year deal. The striker made an immediate impact on his home debut and delivered the clinical finish that Betis fans will hope becomes a regular feature after his prolific spell in the Netherlands.
Real Madrid responded strongly and pushed forward in search of an equaliser. Carlos Espi appeared to have brought Madrid level with a spectacular acrobatic finish from a Vinicius cross. But the celebrations were short-lived as the goal was ruled out for offside in the build-up.
Mbappe then went close again, with a delicate touch just scraping the crossbar. The French forward was finally given the perfect chance to salvage a point for his team when Madrid were awarded a penalty after a late challenge by Natan on Vinicius.
With the clock winding down in stoppage time, Mbappe took the penalty. But Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles made a great save, denying the Real Madrid forward and clinching all three points for the home side.
🚨🚨 KYLIAN MBAPPE MISSES THE OPPORTUNITY TO EQUALIZE FOR REAL MADRID! ❌pic.twitter.com/ob8HaYHDFI
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) September 4, 2026
The save had Betis players and fans in a huge celebration at the final whistle thanks to a historic 1-0 win. Betis are now level with Real Madrid on nine points after four matches, which will greatly help them on their way to European club competitions.
The defeat was a blow but Mourinho was pleased at the fact that his players did work hard and didn't get a lot out of it.
“The team played a great game. Sometimes you lose and cannot explain how,” Mourinho said.
He said Madrid had been dominant and created many chances but were ultimately punished for their inability to convert their opportunities.
“We were really dominant, created a lot going forward and had plenty of chances. If the match had ended in a draw we would have been frustrated, so imagine how we feel after a defeat,” Mourinho said.
The Portuguese coach also refused to focus on refereeing decisions, including Espi's disallowed goal and the late incidents surrounding Mbappe's penalty.
“Honestly, I don’t know why we lost. We created a lot of chances, missed three or four of them and their goalkeeper also made three or four exceptional saves,” Mourinho said.
"I have nothing to judge my players for. We probably did deserve to win the game, but deserving to win does not get you any points.”
The loss marks Real Madrid’s first major setback of the new La Liga season and will test whether they can turn around quickly from such disappointment. Now the focus is on Europe and Madrid will begin their Champions League campaign at home against Italian champions Inter Milan.
Meanwhile, Real Betis will be hoping to build on the confidence generated after their stunning win and prepare for their own European task. The Spanish team will be travelling to France to meet Lille.
Barcelona can move three points clear at the top of the La Liga table if they beat Valencia at Mestalla and maintain their perfect start to the season.
For Real Madrid, Mbappe’s missed penalty will be the defining moment of a frustrating night. Madrid had enough chances to win the game but they were left empty-handed while Betis celebrated one of their most memorable victories of the season.
