Just when Real Madrid looked to have three points in the bag, they conceded a last-gasp equalizer on the final kick of the game to settle for a 1–1 draw with Real Betis on Friday evening.
Vinicius Jr bagged the opener in the 17th minute after Real Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles spilled a save right into the path of the Brazilian. The winger pounced on the rebound and calmly slotted home what looked to be the match-winner into the bottom right corner.
Kylian Mbappé, who was celebrating his 100th appearance in a white shirt, briefly thought he doubled his side’s lead in the second half, but the offside flag denied him what would have been a special moment. A victory would have been a worthy consolation, except Álvaro Arbeloa’s men allowed Héctor Bellerín to bury an equalizer in the 94th minute.
Real Madrid are now eight points behind Barcelona in an already wrapped up La Liga title race, a gap that could become 11 should the Catalans get past Getafe on Saturday. The 15-time European champions have won just one of their last six matches across all competitions.
One Thing We Can’t Ignore
Vinicius Jr bagged his side’s only goal on the night and his second this week, looking back to his goalscoring ways after struggling to find the back of the net since returning from the March international break.
The left-footed finish was his 18th goal contribution in 22 games under Arbeloa. The Spanish boss undoubtedly unlocked Vinicius Jr’s top form, something former boss Xabi Alonso failed to do during his short-lived tenure.
Question marks still remain about the winger’s chemistry—or lack thereof—with Mbappé up top, and whether the two can lead Real Madrid to silverware. Yet perhaps an equally as large question is whether a new manager next season will get this type of production out of Vinicius Jr.
After all, Arbeloa is expected to make way for a high-profile hire this summer now that Los Blancos seem destined to finish the season trophyless. Severing the connection between the 43-year-old and the team’s star player is a risk that could see Vinicius Jr regress, just like he did when Carlo Ancelotti left the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Real Betis (4-3-3)
GK: Andriy Lunin—7.5: Played hero for most of the night to bail out a few awful sequences from his backline, but once again denied a clean sheet.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold—6.8: Unleashed several wonder balls with his prodigious right foot to no avail. Always chasing after his man defensively, and a better opponent would have made him pay.
CB: Antonio Rüdiger—6.8: Did a poor job of reading dangerous situations. A veteran of his caliber should not be so easily bested in transition. Ended up on his back for the equalizer.
CB: Dean Huijsen—7.2: Showed off his passing range against a Real Betis side that allowed him to push forward without much resistance. Beaten for pace in a few concerning moments, where his positioning was subpar at best.
LB: Ferland Mendy—5.9: Completely neutralized Antony all night long until the winger pulled him down in the build-up to Real Betis’s late equalizer.
CM: Jude Bellingham—7.5: A bit too desperate to make something happen. Let down by his final touch on multiple occasions. Showed little imagination beyond a few runs forward.
CM: Federico Valverde—7.4: His shot forced the error that led to Vinicius Jr’s opener. Helped his team control the game from a deeper position in Aurélien Tchouaméni’s absence.
CM: Thiago Pitarch—6.2: Another outing headlined by what could have been costly giveaways inside his own half. Looked lost on the ball in the final third. Lacked clinical decision making.
RW: Brahim Díaz—6.3: Hardly involved beyond one dangerous ball he sent Mbappé’s way in the first half. Never looked a danger to score.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—7.2: Dazzled with his dribbling, but ineffective when it mattered most. Saw one goal waved off for offsides and squandered chances he would have scored in the beginning of the season. Asked to come off with an injury concern.
LW: Vinicius Junior—8.2: Made no mistakes when the keeper spilled the ball right into his path. Bagged his 19th goal of the season. Hunted for a brace, but came up short.
SUB: Eduardo Camavinga (73’ for Pitarch)—6.8: Only completed seven passes in 17 minutes.
SUB: David Alaba (73’ for Huijsen)—6.0: Torched on the counter attack.
SUB: Gonzalo García (81’ for Mbappé)—N/A
SUB: Manuel Ángel (82’ for Díaz)—N/A
Subs not used: Javier Navarro (GK), Álvaro Carreras, Dai Carvajal, Diego Aguado, Fran García, Raúl Asencio, Jorge Cestero, Franco Mastantuono.
What the Ratings Tell Us
- Real Madrid deeply missed Arda Güler’s playmaking. The team needed Jude Bellingham’s patented creativity in the Turkish youngster’s absence, but the midfielder created just one chance in a match that was crying out for his vision in the final third.
- Before the season started, Ferland Mendy’s place at the Bernabéu was anything but certain. Relentless injury woes turned him into an all but forgotten name, one many were eager to offload should the opportunity arise. Yet the Frenchman’s return to form not only boosts his future in a white shirt, but also throws Álvaro Carreras’s into question.
- Speaking of futures, Thiago Pitarch got the nod over Eduardo Camavinga in midfield, another damning decision that does the latter no favors. With many potential suitors lining up for the France international, he could feel forced into a transfer just to log regular minutes—and Real Madrid would happily cash in.
The Numbers That Explain Real Madrid’s Late Collapse
- Real Madrid allowed Real Betis to have 52% possession, a bold move for a side that has not kept a clean sheet in La Liga since February.
- Real Betis mustered 19 shots to Los Blancos’ 12, and put together a greater passing accuracy (90% vs. 86%) than their opponents, playing with more fight and passion than Arbeloa’s men.
- Once again, Real Madrid managed just a measly 1.09 xG despite having two of the best players in the world leading their line.
| Statistic | Real Betis | Real Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 52% | 48% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.08 | 1.09 |
| Total Shots | 19 | 12 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 8 |
| Big Chances | 0 | 1 |
| Pass Accuracy | 90% | 86% |
| Fouls | 10 | 8 |
| Corners | 7 | 6 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Real Betis: Mbappe’s Milestone Night Ends in Misery.
