Entering the latest match of the 7th day, Real Madrid received the most beautiful gifts when Levante won 3-1 against Barcelona and Sevilla shared points with Atletico Madrid. That means 3 points against Real Betis will help the Royal team reclaim the top spot from their Catalan rivals.
Coach Zinedine Zidane has somewhat found some stability in the squad, so there are only 2 changes in the starting lineup compared to the big win over Leganes: the presence of Ferland Mendy and Luka Modric to replace Marcelo and Federico Valverde.
On the other side, the start period was really difficult for Betis when they were only 3 points above the relegation zone. Their defense is really in trouble with 21 goals conceded after 11 rounds. They have not won a single away game this season, but interestingly, the Bernabeu is the place where they have most recently won 3 points (won 2-0 last season).
Against Betis, who are at the bottom of the rankings, Real Madrid dominated from the start. Coach Zidane's team created many dangerous opportunities, but the strikers all seemed unlucky.
In the 6th minute, Karim Benzema forced the goalkeeper to show his talent for the first time, saving the away team. 2 minutes later, Hazard had a technical shot, through 2 players before finishing accurately, however, the goal was disallowed because VAR discovered him in an offside position when receiving the ball.
Unfortunately for not having a good goal, the Belgian midfielder continued to show his worth with breakthrough ball possession like his peak form in the Chelsea shirt before. On the opposite side, Rodrygo coordinated well with Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric to create storms for the opponent's defense.
It was not until the 22nd minute that Betis had their first shot, when Nabil Fekir sent the ball wide of the post. In the second half of the first half, Betis played better to make some tricky moves for Thibaut Courtois, but the best chance still belonged to Real Madrid. In the 43rd minute, from Modric's pass, Benzema blocked the ball with his chest for Sergio Ramos to run in and finish, but once again, Robles reacted quickly to save the goal.
The developments after the break continued to fluctuate. Before conceding, Betis' defense made it difficult for the home team to put the ball in the finishing position and if they found it, their kicks were often blocked by the defenders.
The seemingly easy match gradually became difficult for the White Vultures when the psychological pressure was not relieved. The haste and impatience have appeared more and more in the handling.
Although Vinicius Junior and Luka Jovic were brought on the field one after another, there was no factor to command and maintain the composure of his teammates, leading to the time gradually narrowing. 5 minutes of short notice could not help Real convert opportunities into goals and had to accept a goalless draw. This is also the third consecutive match without a win against Real Betis at home.
After round 12 of La Liga, Real Madrid is still in second place with 22 points, equal to Barcelona but due to a poor goal difference. The two big teams from the land of the goose could lose their positions if they defeat Sociedad in the latest match tonight.
