Real Betis’ Marc Bartra explains the timing behind Mbappe penalty incident

Marc Bartra says his positioning during Kylian Mbappe’s missed penalty against Real Madrid was carefully calculated, rather than accidental, after the incident raised questions over whether the kick should have been retaken.

Mbappe saw his penalty saved by Alvaro Valles as Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Real Betis in La Liga on Friday. The decision not to order a retake was questioned because Bartra appeared to be inside, or close to the edge of, the penalty area before the kick was taken.

However, the Real Betis defender said he had deliberately positioned himself so that his foot remained outside the area when Mbappe struck the ball.

Speaking to Movistar in comments reported by Marca, Bartra explained that he had previously asked a refereeing friend about the same situation after seeing a similar incident in a La Liga match.

“A few rounds ago, I think Jose Luis Gaya made a small jump, so I asked a friend of mine who was a referee in the second division, and he told me that as long as you are in this position but you do not place your foot inside the area, the penalty will not be retaken,” Bartra said.

The defender acknowledged that the decision involved a considerable risk. His aim was to judge precisely when Mbappe would begin his run-up and strike the ball, allowing him to move forward without breaching the relevant restriction.

“I tried to calculate it as well as possible. It is true that if Mbappe had taken the shot half a second earlier or later, he would have caught me inside the area, but I tried to stay for as long as possible with my foot touching the ground without stepping into the area, and I succeeded,” he added.

Bartra said the approach was not limited to defensive situations. He claimed he uses the same method when attacking, waiting until the final moment before moving towards the ball in order to gain a small advantage.

“I do the same thing in attack as well. I wait until the last moment so that I can get to the ball, because it is about seconds and small details. I remember scoring a goal in the Copa del Rey about two years ago against Sant Andreu simply because I tried to be in the right place,” he said.

The incident came during a match in which Real Madrid were beaten 1-0 by Real Betis, with Valles denying Mbappe from the penalty spot. Bartra’s explanation provides his account of why he appeared so close to the penalty-area line and why the kick was not retaken.

The episode has also prompted discussion among football supporters, with readers invited to debate the incident and other football news on the Kooora forums.