Mourinho suffers first defeat since return: Betis down Real Madrid thanks to Troy Parrott strike

José Mourinho suffered his first defeat since returning to the Real Madrid dugout on matchday four of LaLiga, as Betis Seville beat Real Madrid 1-0 at the Estadio Benito Villamarin. The winner was scored by new signing Troy Parrott, who had only been on the pitch for 13 minutes when he struck in the 81st minute. The result leaves Betis level on 9 points with Real Madrid, while Barcelona can move to 12 if they win on Sunday. Real Madrid came into the match with three straight wins under Mourinho, but struggled to break down a disciplined Betis defense. The home side’s counter-attacking strategy paid off when Parrott latched onto a long ball from Natan and finished past Thibaut Courtois. The Irish striker’s first La Liga goal proved decisive. Real had a golden chance to equalize in the 94th minute when Mbappé won a penalty after a foul by Natan. However, the French superstar hit the crossbar with his spot-kick, sparking wild celebrations among the Betis fans. Mourinho admitted his side lacked cutting edge. "We had the chance to get a point, but football can be cruel. Mbappé is a great player and will learn from this," he said. Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini praised his team’s performance. "We played a perfect tactical game. Troy showed his quality with that goal. We deserved the win," he stated. Parrott, 22, joined Betis from Tottenham for €15 million and expressed his joy: "It’s a dream come true to score against Real Madrid." The defeat raises questions about Real Madrid’s attacking efficiency despite having stars like Mbappé, Vinícius, and Rodrygo. Mourinho will need to adjust his tactics ahead of the next match against Valencia. Meanwhile, Betis will look to build on this momentum as they aim for a top-four finish.