Real Madrid Held to Draw by Real Betis in La Liga
Real Madrid’s La Liga title hopes suffered another setback as Héctor Bellerín scored a late equaliser for Real Betis, resulting in a 1-1 draw on Friday. The match saw Real Madrid take an early lead through Vinícius Júnior, but Betis fought back to secure a point deep into stoppage time.
Real Madrid took the lead in the 17th minute when Federico Valverde fired a shot from outside the box. Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles parried the ball, which fell to Vinícius Júnior, who quickly finished with a neat strike inside the right post. Despite this early advantage, Betis gradually grew into the game and began to threaten the visitors’ defence.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made several important saves before half-time, denying attempts from Cedric Bakambu and Antony. After the break, Madrid controlled much of the play but struggled to convert chances. Kylian Mbappé had a frustrating night, missing a clear opportunity and having a goal disallowed for offside.
Lunin continued to impress with key saves, including a one-handed stop against Cucho Hernández and another from Natan. Vinícius Júnior missed a golden chance after a strong run, and Madrid failed to extend their lead.
In the 93rd minute, Ferland Mendy lost possession inside the box to Antony, who passed to Bellerín. Bellerín’s low shot found its way through a crowd of players and into the net, securing a late draw for Betis.
Following the match, Bellerín commented on his decisive goal, saying he usually looks to cross rather than shoot from distance, but the ball went in amidst the crowded penalty area. He also expressed that Betis deserved more than a point given their control of the match.
Real Madrid now sit eight points behind league leaders Barcelona, who have the chance to extend their lead to 11 points with a win over Getafe. Barcelona could potentially secure back-to-back titles in the upcoming clásico at Camp Nou.
RB Leipzig Defeats Union Berlin Amid Controversy
In Bundesliga action, RB Leipzig secured a 3-1 victory over Union Berlin, handing coach Marie-Louise Eta her second consecutive defeat. Leipzig’s goals came from Max Finkgräfe, Romulo, and Ridle Baku, marking the club’s fifth straight win.
The match was overshadowed by a sexism controversy involving Leipzig’s social media response to a post by Union Berlin. Leipzig’s account posted photos of Eta alongside former coaches and players with a caption that was criticized as sexist. Eta is the first female coach in the Bundesliga and has faced significant online abuse.
On the field, Finkgräfe opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, followed by Romulo’s goal three minutes later. Union Berlin’s goalkeeper Frederik Rønnow was injured and replaced by Carl Klaus. Despite improvements in the second half and tactical changes by Eta, Leipzig extended their lead through Baku’s goal. Union scored a consolation goal through Danilho Doekhi, and a late goal by substitute Ilyas Ansah was disallowed for offside.
Other European Football Highlights
In Ligue 1, Lens staged a remarkable comeback from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Brest. Goals from Florian Thauvin, Abdallah Sima, and Allan Saint-Maximin helped Lens recover, but Paris Saint-Germain maintain a three-point lead with a game in hand. The two teams are set to meet in a crucial title showdown later in May.
In Serie A, Napoli defeated Cremonese 4-0, keeping pressure on league leaders Inter Milan. Scott McTominay, who opened the scoring for Napoli, added an assist for Kevin De Bruyne’s goal. An own goal and a strike from Alisson Santos completed the victory. Napoli remain second in the standings, nine points behind Inter.