Real Madrid fans probably spent their Friday night staring at the wall in disbelief. They travelled to Real Betis with a simple mission. Win the game and keep the La Liga title race alive. Instead, they delivered a performance that suggests they might be ready to pack up their bags for the summer.
The match started well enough. Vinicius Junior found the net in the 17th minute, and for a moment, everything felt normal. It looked like a standard victory. But football rarely plays by the rules when you want it to. Real Madrid dominated the early stages, but they could not kill the game off. Jude Bellingham came close, but the Betis keeper, Alvaro Valles, had other ideas.
Then came the late drama. Former Barcelona defender Hector Bellerin popped up in stoppage time to smash home the equaliser. You really cannot make this stuff up. An ex-Barcelona player handing a golden gift to his old club? It is the sort of irony that makes football fans giggle and Real Madrid fans want to hide under the bed.
Now look at the table. Barcelona are sitting pretty with an eight point lead. If they beat Getafe this weekend, that gap stretches to eleven points. Hansi Flick must be absolutely delighted. He can effectively start planning the victory parade while Madrid deals with their internal mess.
Speaking of messes, Kylian Mbappe had a nightmare. He scored a goal, but the officials chopped it off for offside. Then, ten minutes before the final whistle, he asked to be substituted. That sparked fears of an injury. If Madrid loses their star striker right before the World Cup, the meltdown in the Spanish capital will be something to behold.
The Real Madrid defence looked shaky, the attack looked toothless, and the title dream looks dead in the water. Unless Barcelona suddenly forgets how to play football, the trophy is already finding a new home.
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