On the first Sunday of 2026, Real Madrid hosted Real Betis at the Bernabéu. The last time the two teams met in La Liga, on March 1st, 2025, Betis took the win at home, which added a bit of extra edge to this fixture.
Coming into the match, Real Madrid were sitting second in La Liga behind Barcelona, while Betis occupied sixth place. Before kick-off, the stadium observed a minute of silence in remembrance of a board member. The moment it ended, the noise completely exploded. Fans from both sides made it clear this would not be a quiet Sunday evening.
First Half
Real Madrid started strongly, controlling possession and building calmly from the back, although Betis pressed high and tried to disrupt the rhythm early on. The first real opportunity came from Valverde, who fired a shot just wide of the goal.
Rodrygo took the first corner in the fourth minute, but it didn’t trouble Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles. Moments later, the stadium erupted when Vinícius was pushed to the ground, but referee Hernández waved play on, much to the frustration of the Madridistas.
Madrid kept pushing. In the 14th minute, Valles was seriously tested by Carreras but managed to stay calm and deal with the danger. The first yellow card of the match went to Ortiz of Real Betis after a foul on Vinícius, resulting in a free kick. Rodrygo delivered the ball, and Gonzalo rose to head it into the net, giving Real Madrid the lead.
By the half-hour mark, the pace had settled and Madrid were firmly in control of possession. Betis managed a shot from distance, but it drifted wide. After two minutes of added time, the first half clearly belonged to Real Madrid.
Second Half
Both teams returned after the break, with Real Madrid unchanged. Betis made two substitutions, bringing on Bellerín and Lo Celso.
Less than a minute into the second half, Gonzalo struck again to make it 2–0, sending the Bernabéu into celebration. Madrid continued to dominate, and in the 55th minute, Asencio scored his first goal of the season to extend the lead to 3–0.
Real Madrid’s attack kept testing Betis’ defence, but in the 65th minute a defensive lapse allowed Betis to pull one back through Chucho, making it 3–1. Betis responded with more substitutions in an attempt to regain control.
Madrid then made their own changes, with Rodrygo and Vinícius leaving the pitch, followed later by Tchouaméni. The momentum, however, stayed firmly with the home side. Gonzalo completed an incredible night by scoring again to make it 4–1.
After a standing ovation, Gonzalo and Rüdiger were substituted, with Mendy and García coming on for the final minutes. Three minutes of added time were announced, and just before the final whistle, Fran García scored to seal a convincing 5–1 victory.
Post-Match
After the match, I headed to the press conference, where both coaches answered questions from the media. It was a calm, professional ending to an intense and entertaining night at the Bernabéu.
