Real Madrid’s first defeat of the season leaves Mbappe facing Spanish media scrutiny

Spanish newspapers have criticised Kylian Mbappe after Real Madrid lost 1-0 to Real Betis on Friday, handing Jose Mourinho his first defeat as the club’s manager this season.

Troy Parrott scored the only goal of the game for Real Betis, while Mbappe became the focus of attention after missing several opportunities, most notably a late penalty. Real Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles saved the French forward’s spot-kick to preserve his side’s victory.

AS described the result as a “sudden stop” on its front page and said Real Madrid had shown two contrasting sides during the opening weeks of the campaign.

The newspaper suggested Mourinho’s team appeared more comfortable when playing at home but had struggled when travelling. It also said the Portuguese manager had plenty of work to do, particularly because defensive weaknesses remained evident. Those problems were exposed in the build-up to the goal that gave Real Betis victory.

Thomas Roncero, writing for AS, concentrated on Mbappe’s display under the headline “A dark night”. He said the France international had endured a difficult evening, made worse by his failure to convert the penalty.

MARCA was even more critical of the forward. Journalist Jose Vicente Hernaez argued that Real Madrid would not have lost had Mbappe taken advantage of the chances presented to him.

“Mbappe was decisive, but in the negative sense of the word,” he wrote in his analysis.

MARCA used “The first blow” as its main cover headline, referring to Real Madrid’s opening defeat of the season. The paper also examined the refereeing controversy surrounding the match, although neither it nor AS concluded that the officials had made an error in the disputed incidents.

The penalty decision remained a particular point of discussion. The referee’s decision not to order a retake was reviewed by video officials because of the possibility that a Real Betis player had entered the penalty area too early. MARCA said the decision was correct and maintained that the International Football Association Board’s (IFAB) laws for the 2026-27 season supported the outcome.

The newspaper also backed the decision to disallow a Real Madrid goal, saying Carlos Espi had been in an offside position.

Spanish media outlets also focused on Mourinho’s post-match comments. The Real Madrid manager expressed his frustration at what he described as his players’ naivety, while acknowledging that he did not fully understand why his team had lost.

For Mundo Deportivo, the defeat represented an opportunity for Barcelona to strengthen their position in the La Liga title race. The loss came shortly before Real Madrid begin their UEFA Champions League campaign.

The Catalan newspaper labelled the result “The first knockout blow”, portraying it as the first major setback suffered by Mourinho’s side this season. It also highlighted how the defeat left Mbappe facing intense criticism after a night in which his missed chances, and particularly the late penalty, dominated the reaction.