Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho was left frustrated after his side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis in La Liga on Saturday. He questioned the referee's decisions during the match while insisting that his team did enough to win.
NEW DELHI — Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho was left frustrated after his side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis in La Liga on Saturday. He questioned the referee's decisions during the match while insisting that his team did enough to win.
“We clearly deserved to win, but deserving doesn’t give you points,” Mourinho told reporters after the match.
Real Madrid controlled the early phases at La Cartuja, creating two quality opportunities before the 15th minute. In the 11th minute, Arda Guler sent a well-placed cross, but Dean Huijsen’s acrobatic attempt was saved by the Betis goalkeeper. Three minutes later, Vinicius Jr. hit the post after connecting with another Guler cross.
Betis grew into the game as the first half progressed, but Madrid continued to create chances. In the 43rd minute, Jude Bellingham sent Vinicius through, and the Brazilian found Kylian Mbappe inside the box. Mbappe’s first effort was blocked by Natan, and Marc Bartra then cleared the second attempt off the goal line.
Madrid came close again in added time when the goalkeeper saved Bellingham’s header, and Huijsen then struck the crossbar.
The visitors continued to press after the break but could not find a breakthrough. Betis goalkeeper Valles made another important save from a Deossa header in the 80th minute, but Troy Parrott followed up to give the hosts the lead.
Madrid were handed a late chance to equalise when Vinicius was brought down inside the box in added time. Mbappe took the resulting penalty, but Valles made another crucial save.
Mourinho, who was booked during the tense encounter, also voiced his frustration with the referee’s disciplinary decisions, particularly a first-half yellow card shown to Guler.
“I don’t know why he gave me a yellow card, but it’s okay; I accept it. Betis reached half-time without a single card, and poor Arda, who only knows how to play, ended up with a yellow. I didn’t like that,” Mourinho said.
The Portuguese also admitted he could not comment fully on the penalty and on an earlier disallowed goal by Gonzalo Espi, as he had not seen the incidents again.
“The penalty situation, the retaken penalty, Espí’s goal—I don’t know, I can’t say,” he said. “I saw a lot of frustration on the bench from people watching the plays on the tablet. I haven’t seen them, so I can’t comment.”
Mourinho, however, praised his players for their performance despite the outcome.
“I don’t know why we lost. I can’t justify it. Collectively, the team played very well in all aspects. Individually, they also played very well. I have nothing to reproach any player for their attitude; quite the opposite. Everyone gave their all,” he said.
Mourinho said Madrid created enough chances but were denied by an inspired performance from the Betis goalkeeper.
“We missed three, and their goalkeeper made four incredible saves,” he said. “I might change my opinion after watching the match tomorrow, but from the bench today, I don’t know why we lost.”
This was Madrid's first loss of the season and has pushed them to second place in the points table, as their arch-rivals Barcelona maintained their position at the top with a better goal difference than Mourinho's side.