Kylian Mbappé was handed a golden opportunity to level the score for Real Madrid deep into added time against Real Betis, but Álvaro Valles denied him from the spot, securing a 1-0 win for the home side in Friday’s La Liga clash.
Mbappé paused during his approach before sending his effort toward the bottom left corner, yet Valles guessed correctly and pushed the ball away. The final whistle followed shortly after, confirming Madrid’s first league loss of the campaign since Jose Mourinho took charge again.
Betis edges ahead as Madrid falters
Valles proved to be the difference-maker for Betis all evening. Early on, he made a sharp stop to keep out Jude Bellingham’s header, and he continued to frustrate the visitors with several key interventions before his decisive save in stoppage time.
The deadlock was broken in the 81st minute when Troy Parrott found the back of the net, putting Betis in front.
Mbappé seemed set to make amends after Vinícius Júnior was fouled by Betis defender Natan while driving along the byline. The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation.
The French forward took charge of the penalty, but Valles was ready. The Betis shot-stopper had done his homework on Mbappé’s tendencies and anticipated the direction of the shot.
Valles shines with crucial penalty stop
Valles roared in celebration after the save and even exchanged a brief chest bump with a visibly frustrated Mbappé. He acknowledged that a bit of fortune played a role in his decision.
“We felt confident, but you always need some luck,” Valles said. “He is skilled at making goalkeepers commit early and hiding his intentions. I was lucky to get a hand to it.”
The missed spot kick capped a tough night for Mbappé, who created several chances but failed to convert. In the first half, he wasted a clear opportunity when Vinícius set him up after Valles had strayed off his line.
Both of Mbappé’s consecutive shots were blocked by Betis defenders, and he also struck the woodwork with another attempt.
Mbappé looks to bounce back versus Inter Milan
The penalty failure came on the heels of a promising start to the season for Mbappé, who had scored in two of his first three appearances, including a hat trick.
Still, he struggled to make an impact in Seville as Real Madrid fell to Betis. Valles’s late heroics ensured the hosts held on for a surprising result.
Mbappé will get a quick chance to recover when Madrid faces Inter Milan in their opening Champions League fixture on Tuesday.
Having led the World Cup scoring charts over the summer, Mbappé will be eager to put this miss behind him and deliver for his new club.