Why was Mbappe's penalty not retaken? A small detail that shut the door on Real Madrid's escape | Goal.com

Published on 04 Sep 2026 | Reading time: 2 minutes

The decision not to retake the penalty missed by Kylian Mbappé in the closing moments of Real Madrid's clash with Real Betis sparked wide controversy. Betis defender Marc Bartra appeared inside the penalty area before the kick was taken, then intervened after goalkeeper Álvaro Valles' save on the first attempt to clear the ball out for a corner.

Some Real Madrid fans wanted the penalty retaken. They argued Bartra was the first to enter the area and that his intervention proved decisive in clearing the ball and stopping Mbappé from following it up. But one precise detail explains why that was not deemed sufficient reason to order a retake.

Bartra entered, but was not on the ground

Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" acknowledged Bartra did move into the penalty area before Mbappé struck the kick. He jumped to reach the ball, though, and at the moment the French striker hit the penalty, Bartra had not touched the pitch inside the area. He was still in the air.

That is the crux of the whole thing. A player merely hovering over the penalty area while jumping does not necessarily commit an influential encroachment offence at the moment the kick is taken. More importantly still, Bartra managed to intervene after Valles saved the ball, yet he had not planted his feet inside the area when Mbappé struck it.

The incident looked dubious at first glance. This detail badly weakens the case for a retake, though, and hands the referee's decision a logical explanation.

Mbappé's kick was one of Real Madrid's last chances to salvage the match. The Frenchman missed his penalty in the 90+5 minute against a brilliant Valles, allowing Betis to preserve their 1-0 lead and hand the Royal club their first defeat this season.

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