The happy life of the new Real Madrid under the new Mourinho unexpectedly evaporated in Seville, where Betis stopped the overwhelming start with a generous team effort and the inspiration of an illuminated goalkeeper. Álvaro Valles stopped the until now unstoppable Kylian Mbappé in every way, even saving a penalty in added time. After surviving a rich collection of Real’s chances, Betis found a goal from a corner and held on a little longer in a territory where Madrid usually finishes off anyone.
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Mourinho’s team pressed as usual in desperate situations, when it wobbles on the edge and was very close to finding a comeback again in the Cesarini zone, which could even be renamed according to recent history. But the goalkeeper and VAR nullified the effort. The video found Espí offside at the start of the play that ended several passes later with a wonderful bicycle kick. The goalkeeper caught the penalty caused by Vinicius that Mbappé executed unsuccessfully. Like the whole night, which was strange.
Right from the start, under a troop of dragonflies chasing players through the suffocating Sevillian night of early September. The heat seemed out of place, as out of sync as the balls. The players discarded five or six in the first minutes, which with so much exploration of the material, left an impression of provisionality in a high-level duel, with two teams four days away from debuting in the Champions League. The appearance of balls with tight pressure coincided with another dazzling moment from Arda Güler.
The Turk has started the season at a superb level. While most players extended the probing phase, Güler began to find outlets. First, he opened an escape route by launching Dumfries down the wing. His left foot is a formidable precision weapon. Almost from the wing, he spotted a run into the area by Huijsen, who beat the offside trap, stretched out his right leg, and faced Álvaro Valles’ first great save. He quickly linked up with Dumfries and Mbappé and crossed a pass that Vinicius hit against the post.
Mourinho’s team had grabbed the duel firmly. They monopolized the ball and pressed with persistent vertical effort. Pellegrini’s side struggled to catch their breath until Bernal, Roca, and Fornals came together in midfield to start finding Isco and Antony. With more possession, they managed to push Madrid back. They grew, occupied more field, shrank a Real full of notable energy, but an accidental clash between teammates, Roca and Llorente, left the center-back out of action with a broken nose and opened another chapter in Güler’s recital.
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Only Valles’ inspiration, save after save, three times the posts, and Mbappé’s inaccuracy prevented Madrid from steering another victory. Vinicius generously left the Frenchman alone but first faced the goalkeeper and on the second attempt, the chest of a defender. Then the Turk delivered corners to the heads of Bellingham and Huijsen. The first shot was also neutralized by Valles. The other hit the crossbar. It had been the second clear chance for the center-back, who has transformed with Mourinho’s arrival. Huijsen showed energy, defensive authority, attention, territorial deployment, and elite passing skill: everything the coach had demanded.
After that good spell from Betis, Madrid had regained control, struck again, but could not break the resistance. Between the locals’ commitment and the summer heat, they lowered the pace of Mourinho’s squad, who maneuvered from the sideline. He withdrew Camavinga, Güler, and Dumfries, and introduced Bernardo Silva, Diomande, and Trent. The substitutions did not ease the wear. The duel unraveled while waiting for Bellingham, the usual solver, and Vinicius, who could not decipher Bellerín.
The changes worked better for Pellegrini. Deossa and Parrot found the impossible treasure of a goal. The midfielder headed a corner to which Courtois responded with an impossible stretch, and the forward managed to deposit the rebound into the net. Despite the blow, Madrid had chances to turn it around, but there were still Valles and Mbappé’s inaccuracy to hand them the first defeat of the new era.
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