Betis hand Madrid their first defeat
The 100% start is gone. Real Betis 1–0 Real Madrid on Friday, and the loss was entirely self-inflicted: Troy Parrott scored and Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty (4). Four wins from four to open La Liga, 13 goals scored, then this. Madrid are still second, two points off the top with a strong +7 goal difference, but the first stumble has a name.
This was not a collapse. It was a waste. Betis parked deep, survived, and Parrott finished the one clear chance they made. Mbappé stepped up from the spot and missed. Between those two lines sits the whole evening: dominance without edge, possession without a punch (4).
Midfield bare ahead of Inter
The concern is not the table, it is Tuesday. Real Madrid host Inter Milan in the Champions League opener on September 8, and José Mourinho has exactly one specialist holding midfielder available for it (16). Aurélien Tchouaméni returned to group training this week alongside Endrick and Thiago Pitarch (8) (11), but the manager's true anchor options are thin. Eduardo Camavinga is likely to carry that role, with Yan Diomande, the 19-year-old record signing, expected to get the start Mourinho has been hinting at (1) (13).
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The timing is not ideal. Injuries and registration rules mean the Champions League lineup will not look like the one that started the league season. That is a real test for a squad that has looked unstoppable going forward and settled at the back until Friday.
The Bellingham renewal is the quiet priority
While everyone watched the Betis result, the club pushed ahead on Jude Bellingham's renewal. Real Madrid want to accelerate the talks now (2). That is sensible. Bellingham has become the heartbeat of this midfield, and the club would rather lock the contract in before the season's narrative shifts any further.
The Italian reports lingered on Inter's left flank, with Federico Dimarco a doubt for Tuesday after a knee problem against Napoli (4) (21). That is Inter's issue, not Madrid's, but it matters: Inter arrive with their own patchwork.
What to watch
Tuesday is named: Real Madrid vs Inter, Champions League opener, Santiago Bernabéu (1). Three Madrid players are suspended for it, and the midfield is one injury away from a genuine problem (1) (16). Win and Friday is forgotten. Stumble and the Betis defeat becomes a pattern instead of a blip, with Rayo Vallecano waiting in the league on September 12.
