La Liga champions Real Madrid suffered a setback in their title defence with a 2-1 defeat at Real Betis on Saturday.
Isco scored the winner from the penalty spot against his former side, who are level on points with league leaders Barcelona, who face Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid, in third, host Athletic Bilbao later on Saturday and can move top with a victory.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti picked a strong line-up, with no room for error in the title race, despite the impending Champions League clash against city rivals Atletico.
“If we play like this on Tuesday (against Atletico), we will not win,” said Ancelotti.
The visitors took the lead at the Benito Villamarín Stadium through Brahim Díaz, but Betis struck back with a Johnny Cardoso header, as Real Madrid missed the suspended Jude Bellingham.
Isco secured the Andalusian side a deserved victory with a penalty early in the second half.
“It’s a big blow. We have to react,” Ancelotti continued.
“We started well, but later we did not have the same level of commitment. The game got out of control against a side that played better than us and deserved to win.”
Isco returned to action in December after missing several months with a broken leg and has hit top form in recent weeks.
“I’m dead… it takes so much work to win games. Against Madrid, who have so many options, it’s very hard,” an exhausted Isco told Movistar.
“About halfway through the first half, we stepped up our game, and I’m happy with the win against the best team around these days.”
The 32-year-old playmaker said he always has “Madrid in my heart” after winning several major trophies with the Spanish giants before departing in 2022.
Mbappé Subbed
Madrid started the stronger and opened the scoring after just 10 minutes, putting together a fine team move with 19 passes before Díaz tucked home.
Kylian Mbappé sliced open the Betis defence with a ball to Ferland Mendy in front of goal, and the defender squared for Díaz to convert.
Betis found their footing, and neither team was able to create danger until the hosts levelled midway through the first half.
Cardoso powered a header past Thibaut Courtois from Isco’s corner after escaping the attention of Madrid’s defence.
Manchester United winger Antony, on loan at Betis, was sent off last
weekend, but his red card was revoked, enabling him to face Madrid, and he was increasingly involved.
Courtois pulled off a superb save after a ball bounced towards his goal off the back of Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Madrid began to lose possession frequently, and without Bellingham’s dynamism in midfield, they were outfought by Betis.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side were in the ascendancy and took the lead early in the second half from the penalty spot when Antonio Rüdiger crashed into Jesús Rodríguez as he ran in on goal.
Isco, enjoying a resurgence at Betis, smashed home from the spot against his former side for his sixth goal across all competitions.
Tchouaméni was fortunate to escape punishment after clipping Ricardo Rodríguez inside Madrid’s area, and Cucho Hernández dragged a shot wide of Courtois’ far post when well placed.
For the final 15 minutes, Ancelotti replaced Mbappé, who had dental trouble ahead of the game, with Brazilian teenager Endrick, who had scored in the Copa del Rey in midweek.
“He had that (tooth) problem; he hadn’t trained a lot,” explained Ancelotti.
“He was not at his best level, and to avoid problems, I took him off and put on Endrick, who has been doing well.”
Endrick fired wide, and Betis goalkeeper Adrián kept out a stinging drive from range by Vinícius as Madrid came up short.
AFP
