Real Madrid trimmed the gap to leaders Barcelona down to eight points, but a late setback meant they had to settle for a 1-1 draw, as Real Betis extended their unbeaten run to four home league H2Hs.
Vinícius Júnior’s early opener looked set to secure all three points before it was wiped out in stoppage time.
Match Report
Fresh from netting the winner against Alavés earlier in the week, Vinícius Júnior needed under 20 minutes to open the scoring at Betis’ temporary La Cartuja ground. The Brazilian calmly converted from close range after Álvaro Valles pushed Federico Valverde’s long-range effort into his path. His 13th league goal left the hosts struggling to respond, offering little attacking threat for much of the opening period.
That changed late in the first half when Betis suddenly found momentum. Filling in for the injured Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin was called into action with three key saves in quick succession, including a pair of impressive stops to deny Antony.
Real Madrid thought they had doubled their lead shortly after when Kylian Mbappé finished from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s lofted delivery. However, the assistant referee flagged for offside, and VAR upheld the decision, ruling out what would have been a milestone goal on Mbappé’s 100th appearance for the club.
Still within reach of the game, Manuel Pellegrini’s side pushed for an equaliser, with halftime substitute Cucho Hernández going close, only for Lunin to tip his effort away. At the other end, Valles produced important saves to keep out Mbappé and Valverde, ensuring Betis stayed in contention.
Those interventions proved crucial when Héctor Bellerín struck a dramatic leveller in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Reacting quickest to a loose ball in the area, he guided a composed finish inside the near post, stretching Real Madrid’s run without a clean sheet in LaLiga to 10 games. The goal, Bellerín’s second of the campaign, keeps Betis in fifth place with a six-point cushion, while Barcelona now have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top to 11 points.
