By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Real Betis beat Real Madrid 1-0, with substitute Troy Parrott scoring nine minutes from time and goalkeeper Alvaro Valles saving a stoppage-time penalty from Kylian Mbappe.
Parrott, introduced in the 68th minute, broke the deadlock in the 81st when he reacted quickly after Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois parried a header into his path.
Four minutes later Mbappe struck the crossbar before substitute Carlos Espi met a cross from Vinicius Junior with a spectacular bicycle kick, only for the equaliser to be ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Nelson Deossa then nearly sealed the victory for hosts Betis with a long-range effort after spotting Courtois off his line, but the goalkeeper recovered to make the save.
Madrid got one final opportunity when Natan Bernado brought down Vinicius inside the area deep into stoppage time, but Valles saved Mbappe’s spot kick to preserve Betis’s lead and secure the three points. The result ended Jose Mourinho’s three-game winning start to his second spell as Real Madrid manager.
Barcelona will now have the chance to create an early three-point lead over their rivals when they visit Valencia on Sunday, 06 September 2026.