Marc Bartra explains Kylian Mbappe penalty drama

Real Madrid’s first defeat of the season, a 1-0 loss at Real Betis, was followed by intense debate over Kylian Mbappé’s stoppage-time penalty miss.

Madrid supporters believed VAR should have ordered a retake after Betis defender Marc Bartra cleared the rebound, appearing to enter the penalty area too early

The dispute centred on Bartra’s exact position when Mbappé struck the spot-kick. Although much of the defender’s body appeared inside the area, the law focuses on a player’s feet that are touching the ground rather than their upper-body position.

At the moment of the kick, Bartra’s left foot was marginally outside the penalty area while his right foot was in the air. Under the regulations cited by Marca, that means he was not deemed to have encroached, so there was no basis for VAR to intervene or demand another penalty.

“It was a few matches ago that Gayà made that little jump. I asked a referee friend if it was allowed, and he explained the rule to me: if your foot is in the air, you do not have to retake it,” Bartra explained.

His knowledge of the technical rule proved decisive, preserving Betis’ narrow win and leaving Madrid frustrated.