Real Madrid faced their first defeat since José Mourinho's return as coach, losing 1-0 away to Real Betis in La Liga on Friday. The decisive goal came from Troy Parrott, an Irish striker who joined Betis from AZ Alkmaar in the summer, scoring in the 81st minute. In a dramatic finish, Kylian Mbappé missed a stoppage-time penalty that could have salvaged a point for Los Blancos.

Key Moments:

• 81st minute: Parrott capitalizes on a rebound after Thibaut Courtois saves a header from Nelson Deossa.
• Carlos Espí had a potential equalizer ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
• In 90+4 minutes, Vinícius Júnior wins a penalty, only for Mbappé's tame effort to be saved by Álvaro Valles.

The defeat is particularly damaging as it marks the first time since the 2014-15 campaign that Madrid has lost one of their opening four league fixtures, following three consecutive wins under Mourinho. The game featured several missed opportunities for the visitors, including a shot that hit the post and another that crashed against the crossbar.

This result also ended a streak of seven consecutive penalty conversions for Mbappé in all competitions for Real Madrid. Managing Madrid noted that Betis has now taken points from six of their last eight meetings with Madrid.

As the standings tighten, Barcelona could extend their lead to three points over Madrid if they secure a win against Valencia on Sunday. This setback at La Cartuja is precisely what a rejuvenated Madrid side aims to avoid as they look to maintain momentum under their new coach.