Real Madrid left Seville empty-handed despite controlling much of the game and creating more than enough opportunities to get a result. A combination of poor finishing, a missed penalty, and one decisive Real Betis set piece condemned Madrid to a 1-0 defeat.
Here are the player ratings.
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Thibaut Courtois — 7
Made four saves, including an incredible point-blank stop, but could do nothing about the rebound that ultimately decided the game. Courtois did his job and deserved better protection on the second ball.
Denzel Dumfries — 4.5
Made some useful overloads down the right but struggled technically. His first touch and passing repeatedly let him down in positions where Madrid needed more precision.
Ibrahima Konaté — 6.5
Finished with five clearances and was generally solid when called upon. There wasn’t an enormous defensive workload for Konaté given Madrid’s control of the game, but he handled his responsibilities well.
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Dean Huijsen — 9
Another spectacular performance. Huijsen’s distribution was outstanding, both short and long, and he continually helped Madrid progress through Betis’s defensive structure. He was also strong defensively and managed to get himself on the end of headers and chances at the other end. An increasingly complete presence at center-back.
Marc Cucurella — 7
Some excellent defensive step-ups helped Madrid win possession high and immediately transition into attacks. Cucurella was also composed in possession and put together another solid performance.
Fede Valverde — 5
A quiet night. Valverde struggled to impose himself on the game and wasn’t involved enough, particularly considering how much possession Madrid enjoyed.
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Eduardo Camavinga — 7
Played an important role in Madrid’s build-up, frequently dropping between or alongside the center-backs to become the third man in the first line. Looked comfortable with the ball at his feet and helped Madrid consistently progress possession.
Arda Güler — 9
It is almost a travesty that Madrid’s attackers didn’t reward Güler with at least one assist. He was an unstoppable creative force, producing seven key passes in the first half alone. Elegant in possession, constantly finding openings and repeatedly putting teammates in positions to score. Madrid could hardly have asked for more from their primary creator.
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Jude Bellingham — 7.5
Excellent in the first half, particularly when driving forward vertically with the ball and breaking lines with purpose. He wasn’t nearly as influential after the break.
Vinicius Jr. — 5
Lost his individual battle against Héctor Bellerín and looked heavy-legged for stretches of the game. He also missed a big opportunity from a tight angle, although the timing of his run could have been better and given him a cleaner shooting angle. His best moment was a gorgeous trivela pass in the build-up to Carlos Espi’s disallowed goal.
Kylian Mbappé — 4
Seven shots. Two big chances missed. One penalty missed. This was one of Mbappé’s least efficient performances in a long time. Madrid created enough for their star forward to change the game, but he couldn’t provide the finishing touch.
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Bernardo Silva — 6
Helped Madrid circulate possession after coming on but looked a step slow defensively.
Trent Alexander-Arnold — 6
Immediately started firing crosses into the box and finished with five of them, including one delivery that nearly produced an equalizer. Gave Madrid a different attacking dimension from the right.
Yan Diomande — 6
Difficult to properly assess. Diomande barely received the ball, and when he did, it was generally in deeper areas with little space available to attack his defender.
Carlos Espi — 8
Made an immediate impact. Espi found the net shortly after coming on, only for the goal to be ruled out for a marginal offside earlier in the move. He then came agonizingly close again with a thunderous header from a corner. Madrid needed a presence in the box, and Espi provided exactly that.
Alvaro Carreras — N/A
Not enough time to rate.
