Álvaro Valles was the hero for Real Betis Balompié, saving a penalty from Kylian Mbappé to secure a historic 1-0 win over Real Madrid at La Cartuja on September 4. The victory, sealed by a Troy Parrott goal, handed the reigning champions their first defeat of the 2026-27 La Liga season.
This result lifts Betis to seventh place in the La Liga standings, with six points from three games. The Verdiblancos have a -1 goal difference, having scored four and conceded five, and sit three points behind leaders Barcelona.
How did Álvaro Valles make the decisive save?
The key moment arrived in the 49th minute of the second half. Kylian Mbappé stepped up to the penalty spot after a foul in the box. The French star struck the ball hard to the goalkeeper's left, but Álvaro Valles had done his homework. The keeper anticipated correctly, diving to his left and palming the ball away with both hands.
Valles immediately rose to his feet and celebrated the save provocatively, bumping chests with Mbappé. The gesture further electrified the stadium atmosphere. "We worked on it in recent weeks. He took the last two to the open side. I held my ground as long as I could," the goalkeeper explained after the match. Valles made a total of six saves during the game, proving essential to keeping a clean sheet.
What other incidents defined the match?
The winning goal came in the 36th minute of the second half. From a corner delivered from the right, Nelson Deossa won a header, creating a scramble that Troy Parrott pounced on to poke the ball past Thibaut Courtois. VAR was also busy. Minutes before the penalty, it reviewed a potential encroachment by Betis defender Marc Bartra, but the referee did not order a retake. Bartra stated he did not have a foot inside the area at the moment of the kick.
Later, in the 42nd minute of the second half, substitute Carlos Espí thought he had scored for Madrid, but the goal was ruled out for offside after another VAR check. Real Madrid, managed by José Mourinho, dominated with 20 shots, eight on target, but failed to score. Mbappé even rattled the crossbar with an effort five minutes from time.
What did José Mourinho say after the loss?
The Madrid coach showed his frustration in the post-match press conference, acknowledging the opponent's effectiveness. "But deserving does not give points. Congratulations to Betis, who played for a draw and hit the jackpot," stated Mourinho. The match, from the fourth matchday, was peppered with controversy. In the opening minutes, Madrid players complained about low air pressure in the match balls, forcing the referee to authorize three ball changes.
Also, Arda Güler received a yellow card in the first half and committed a foul on Marc Roca eight minutes into the second, sparking Betis protests for a second booking that never came. In total, the referee showed eight yellow cards, and 24 fouls were committed.
What is next for Real Betis Balompié?
After this massive morale-boosting win, Real Betis Balompié must prepare for their next La Liga fixture. They travel to face Villarreal on September 14, 2026, a team currently sitting 15th in the table. The full schedule can be found on the club's fixtures page. The team will head to the Estadio de la Cerámica with renewed confidence after toppling the defending champions.
