Bartra sheds light on late Mbappe penalty controversy in Real Betis victory

Real Betis defender Marc Bartra has revealed that he personally asked the referee about the decision not to order a retake of Kylian Mbappe’s missed penalty in Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat.

Mbappe stepped up in the 94th minute with Real Madrid seeking an equaliser, but the France forward was unable to beat Real Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles from the spot. The save helped the Seville side secure victory.

The penalty incident has since prompted considerable debate. Bartra appeared to have one foot beyond the penalty-area line when Mbappe took the kick, leading some observers to argue that the attempt should have been retaken.

Bartra, who plays at centre-back for Real Betis, said he had asked the referee himself about the episode. His intervention focused on why Real Madrid were not given another opportunity after Mbappe’s effort was saved by Valles.

The decision became one of the main talking points from a match ultimately settled by Troy Parrott. The forward scored the only goal of the game in the 81st minute, giving Real Betis a 1-0 win.

Mbappe’s late penalty miss therefore remained the decisive moment in the closing stages. Although the kick was saved, attention turned to Bartra’s position as it was taken and whether that should have led to further action from the referee.

The incident created uncertainty around the application of the rules in the final moments, with some believing Bartra’s position meant the penalty should have been repeated. However, Real Madrid were not allowed to retake the kick and Real Betis held on for the victory.

For Bartra, the matter was significant enough to raise directly with the match official. His comments have added to the discussion surrounding the penalty, although the result remained unchanged: Parrott’s 81st-minute goal was enough to give the Seville club all three points, while Mbappe’s late attempt did not alter the outcome.