Real Madrid’s season is a disaster, as was clearly demonstrated in Seville. After taking an early lead with a goal from Vinicius and saving the result with several splendid hands from Lunin, he conceded the tie in the last play in a controversial action, with Antony grabbing Mendy prior to Bellerín’s good shot. Betis equalized a match they did not deserve to lose to maintain fifth place while waiting for better times, frequently reaching the opponent’s area. Madrid once again had chances and forgave almost all of them, which is no small feat when there is a lack of play and even interest. He has made it his mission to stand in front of Barça at the Camp Nou, or to attend the match live. Carvajal did not play for a minute. It didn’t even heat up. An idyllic end of the year, wow.
Betis-Real Madrid
And the fact is that, as on previous occasions, Madrid started well in La Cartuja, with intensity and ambition. Arbeloa repeated the formula of Bellingham and Valverde in the axis, this time flanked by Brahim on the right and Thiago Pitarch, absent since the first leg against Bayern, on the left. Carvajal did not enter after the question that bothered the coach so much after beating Alavés, and Mendy did appear to contain Antony. The first thing that happened was a handball from Brahim on the way out that revolted La Cartuja. The man from Malaga bordered on recklessness, in an action by Soto Grado that will not appear in his RMTV video. Mbappé finished, twice, after services from Brahim and Trent. In the first it had no angle, in the second it had no pause. And shortly after the quarter of an hour, in a pressure action by Madrid, they recovered close to the area, Valverde finished hard, Valles rejected from short and Vinicius took advantage of the gift to convert.
Betis couldn’t find a way to connect with Abde, the strong point of the green and white attack behind Trent. On the other side, Mendy forced Antony to look for the center to touch the ball. Although Madrid was gradually withdrawing into its two lines of four, it still arrived with intention from the right. As in an arrival from Bellingham that fell to Brahim and his pass was intercepted by a Betis defender with his hand. That incident will be in the next video by Soto Grado, who pointed out a previous offside… which it wasn’t. Bartra was injured, replaced by Llorente. The fact is that an error changed the decoration.
It was from Thiago Pitarch, again at the start and with his back turned. Like against City or Bayern. The boy, who does not dribble a drop of sweat, also has a star, because Lunin gave a save to prevent Antony’s goal.
Betis uncovered the white fragility and added chances to equalize before the break. Rüdiger was emboldened and gave the one-on-one match to Bakambu. Lunin took out with his foot like Iker took out Robben. The play led to another shot from Antony that the Ukrainian took out of the corner. And in the following corner Abde delayed Fornals and his shot went just over the top. To rest with relief for the whites.
Although the feelings were worse in Madrid, it was Betis who made changes after the break. Marc Roca and Cucho to the green. Pellegrini was looking for more position with the ball, but he didn’t find it at the start. It was left to Madrid, who took advantage of the Bellerín sector to do damage. Of course, the best options came from Trent’s right hand. In one, Bellingham’s header did not connect, and in the other, of high school, Mbappé finished off a bicycle kick into the net. Offside for the Frenchman, who lazily tried to recover his position.
As in the first act, a push by Betis moved the game to the opposite side. Huijsen appeared to block the arrival of Fornals, the most lucid of the green and white attack. Pellegrini replaced him to bring in Lo Celso. Double-day weeks take their toll. Thiago once again counted on Lunin’s collaboration to avoid turning a mistake into a goal against him, and the Ukrainian stretched out shortly after to deflect a close shot from Natan. It was difficult for Madrid to hold the ball so as not to suffer. I was looking for the opposite. As in a long ball to Mbappé who got rid of Natan with ease and wanted to give the goal to Vinicius. Bellerín took it from him. Belliingham grew in the final stretch as a safer way to clean up the plays. Isco came in to do the same for a Betis team whose fifth place is becoming more difficult every minute. Trent saw the yellow one. Exposed as he was to the second, Carvajal didn’t even warm up. Well that.
Mbappé asked for the change due to some discomfort, which is not a matter of risking, listen. Yes, total… And Vinicius shot a good diagonal that was crowned with a transfer to the rival goalkeeper instead of a shot.. The outcome was tight, and there was fear of what was about to happen. Antony asked for a penalty in a turn against Mendy, who put his arm on him. And on the verge of 93, after a corner, he tried to cover the Frenchman and fell in the struggle with the Brazilian, he went back and Bellerín completed Madrid’s gloomy season, unable to put any pressure on Barça. As in Pamplona, Munich or Mallorca, the ninety-odd minute that so defined Madrid’s indomitable character is today its condemnation. To make him look at it.
