Temi Kings
In a dramatic turn of events in Seville, Real Betis handed José Mourinho his first defeat since returning to the Real Madrid bench, pulling off a thrilling 1-0 victory at the Estadio de La Cartuja. Substitute Troy Parrott proved to be the ultimate protagonist, coming off the bench to pounce on a rebound in the 81st minute against his former Tottenham manager. With Kylian Mbappé failing to convert a stoppage-time penalty, Manuel Pellegrini’s side held firm through a frantic finish to end Madrid's perfect start to the La Liga campaign.
Real Betis delivered a tactical masterclass in Seville on Friday night, shocking Real Madrid 1-0 at the Estadio de La Cartuja to hand José Mourinho his first defeat of the 2026/27 La Liga season. Having swept through their opening three matches with ten goals scored, Los Blancos arrived in Andalusia brimming with momentum. However, Manuel Pellegrini’s well-organized Betis unit neutralized Madrid’s high-octane attack through disciplined mid-block defending and sharp counter-attacking transitions throughout a tense encounter.
The match turned on a poetic twist in the 81st minute. Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott, introduced as a second-half substitute by Pellegrini, found himself facing the manager who famously handed him his Premier League debut at Tottenham Hotspur. After Thibaut Courtois produced a sharp save to deny an initial header, Parrott reacted fastest inside the six-yard box to hammer home the rebound, sending the home supporters into raptures and placing Betis in total control.
The closing stages produced breathless drama as Mourinho threw caution to the wind, introducing extra attacking numbers in search of an equalizer. Real Madrid were handed a lifeline deep into stoppage time when the referee awarded a penalty. However, star forward Kylian Mbappé saw his spot-kick fail to find the net in the 93rd minute, cementing a monumental victory for Real Betis and proving that even Mourinho's star-studded squad remains vulnerable under pressure.