Real Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles has explained the tactic he used against Kylian Mbappé moments before saving the Real Madrid forward's penalty, according to dazn.com. Valles said his words were intended to break Mbappé's concentration, and the approach worked.
The incident took place during the La Liga fixture between Real Betis and Real Madrid. Valles told dazn.com that he spoke to Mbappé just before the spot kick was taken as part of a deliberate plan to distract him. "It was to try and put him off, and it came off well," the goalkeeper said, as reported by the outlet.
The penalty itself has become a point of debate beyond Valles' save. Several Spanish media outlets have examined whether the kick should have been retaken. MARCA reported on the rules regarding encroachment, noting that player projections into the area are not counted when assessing the offence. Diario AS added that, according to the Spanish refereeing committee (CTA), there was no actual invasion of the area during the kick.
Mundo Deportivo also addressed why the penalty was not retaken, while OkDiario claimed that a CTA rule contradicts the decision made by referee Iglesias Villanueva, suggesting the kick should have been repeated. These reports point to a split in opinion over how the laws of the game were applied in this specific case.
Valles' save helped Betis avoid conceding from the spot, and his post-match comments have added a layer of intrigue to an already disputed moment. The differing interpretations from Spanish media and the CTA suggest the debate over the penalty call may continue in the coming days.
