news-engine

Real Madrid News New IFAB rule proves Mbappe’s penalty should have been retaken during Betis vs Real Madrid The controversy surrounding Kylian Mbappe’s missed penalty against Real Betis has taken another turn, with the new IFAB rules for the 2026/27 season indicating that the spot-kick should have been retaken. Real Madrid were trailing 1-0 at La Cartuja when Alvaro Valles saved Mbappe’s penalty in the closing stages. Marc Bartra then cleared the rebound, immediately prompting protests from the Madrid players because the Betis defender appeared to have entered the area before the kick was taken. The initial argument against a retake centred on Bartra being airborne. He had not yet placed his feet on the ground inside the penalty area when Mbappe struck the ball. That detail, though, does not settle the matter under the rules now in force. The new rule changes the Bartra argument IFAB’s 2026/27 Laws of the Game clarify how an airborne player’s position is determined. If a player is in the air, their position is established by the projected position of their feet as though they were touching the ground. That is crucial in this incident, as Bartra did not need to have his feet physically touching the turf inside the box for his position to count as an encroachment. If his projected foot position was inside the penalty area when Mbappe struck the ball, he was considered to have entered the area before the kick. There is another important element: impact. Bartra’s involvement after the save matters Under the updated Law 14, a defending player’s encroachment only leads to a retake when it has an impact. The law specifically provides for a penalty to be retaken when defending encroachment has an impact after a saved kick. Bartra’s role makes that particularly relevant. Valles saved the penalty, but Bartra then cleared the rebound before Mbappe could get to it. Journalist Eduardo Iturralde made the same distinction when discussing the incident on El Larguero. “I think the CTA [Technical Committee of Referees] is going to say that it didn’t have to be repeated, but as the rule is written, it has to be repeated.” The controversy has a different answer now The important point is that Bartra being airborne does not automatically mean he was legally outside the area. The 2026/27 clarification specifically addresses airborne positioning, and his subsequent intervention provides the potential impact required under Law 14. Therefore, provided the footage confirms that Bartra’s projected foot position was inside the penalty area when Mbappe took the kick, the new rules support a retake. Real Madrid News Real Betis hero reveals mind game behind Mbappe penalty save in Real Madrid win: ‘Tried to throw him off a bit’ Alvaro Valles was the difference-maker as Real Betis held on to beat Real Madrid 1-0 at La Cartuja, producing a decisive stoppage-time save from Kylian Mbappe that denied the visitors an equaliser. The goalkeeper had already put together an impressive display, but his biggest contribution came when Mbappe stepped up from the penalty spot. Valles guessed correctly and kept out the Real Madrid forward’s effort, preserving Betis’ lead and completing a memorable night for the home side. After the match, Valles explained that the save was not simply a matter of instinct. Rather, Betis had done their homework on Mbappe’s recent penalties, while the goalkeeper also tried to create doubt in the striker’s mind. “We’d analysed his penalties; he’d sent his last two wide. I tried to stay as still as possible on the side he’d decided to go for, and luckily I saved it. “I tried to throw Mbappe off a bit by telling him it was the last minute, what a stroke of luck… and it worked,” he said, as per Mundo Deportivo. Valles had studied Mbappe before the penalty It appears that Valles knew Mbappe’s recent penalty record and waited for the Frenchman to make his decision before committing himself. His intervention came at the perfect moment. With Real Madrid throwing players forward in search of a late equaliser, allowing the penalty to be converted would almost certainly have changed the ending. Instead, Valles kept Betis ahead and helped the club claim three valuable points. “It was very important to win to keep building our strength at home and keep picking up points here. “We knew we were facing a tough opponent and our aim was to get a result. “Once we’d taken the lead, we held on very well and had that bit of luck that’s often needed,” explained the goalkeeper. Betis withstand late Real Madrid pressure Valles was quick to emphasise that the result was not down to his penalty save alone. Betis had to defend intensely during the closing stages as Madrid committed more players forward. “The team did a great job; this is down to everyone, and all that’s left for me to do is congratulate my teammates because they gave their all to win,” he added. “The final minutes were very tense and exciting; we know how dangerous Madrid are up front – they had a lot of players pushing forward – but we secured the victory by keeping a clean sheet,” he concluded.