Valverde and Vinicius Free Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé has finally arrived in La Liga. It took the French star three matches without finding the net to finally break free from the anxiety that seemed to grip his game in these early steps with Real Madrid. Paradoxes of life, his catharsis came with the invaluable collaboration of two teammates, a clear nod to the collective nature of football. As Alfredo Di Stéfano once said, no player is as good as all of them together. This was confirmed by Mbappé's brace, which subdued Betis' resistance through a fantastic backheel assist from Valverde and Vinicius' generosity in handing over the penalty he had won.

This is how a match was resolved that revealed Madrid's attacking prowess, although it did not entirely dispel doubts in their playmaking zone. Ceballos took up Modric and Güler's role between the lines. It was Ancelotti's surprise in a tactical approach aimed at overcoming Betis' effective pressing from the start. The Italian coach demanded quick ball circulation to surpass that initial verdiblanco obstacle. Pellegrini's team was daring, as they often are on important stages, even if that attitude involves taking certain risks.

Once again, Madrid lacked initial momentum. They were too predictable in ball handling to surprise Betis. They gradually loosened up to threaten Betis' goal with a left-footed shot and a cross-shot from Mbappé. Valverde also posed danger with his always threatening long-range strikes.

Madrid was playing better, but as time passed without goals, their attackers' nervousness grew, especially Mbappé, who was hurried in the final meters. The Frenchman, active but also anxious, was once again denied a goal in the first half. All his attempts crashed against the apparent sea of rival legs, and although Madrid had the upper hand in points in the first half, it ended balanced in the undeniable reality of the scoreline.

Pressed by the need to avoid widening the gap with an immaculate Barça, Madrid doubled down on their siege of Betis' area. The match became contentious with an interpretive action where Madrid demanded a handball by Diego Llorente, a dubious fall by Ceballos in Betis' area, and Vinicius' classic clash with the referee, including rallying cries to the stands.

Amidst the controversy, the match completely broke open and Betis accepted the back-and-forth. Fornals' shot became their weapon while Ancelotti once again reshuffled his tactics by replacing Ceballos with Brahim for better linkage play. Madrid continued searching for the key to unlock their essence when Valverde, as he did against Valladolid, found the winning combination. A brilliant last backheel pass from the Uruguayan and finally liberation for Mbappé, who didn't hesitate to slot it into the bottom corner with his left foot and dispel any ghosts.

Unleashed by his first La Liga goal, another positive reinforcement awaited Mbappé. Vinicius forced a penalty from Rui Silva in a one-on-one situation reviewed by VAR and complicated by an incorrect offside call. The Brazilian, who took responsibility from twelve yards against Las Palmas, handed over this penalty to his teammate this time, who confidently sealed his first brace for Real Madrid.

The self-management between Madrid's two great attacking stars justified Ancelotti's approach since the season began. The Italian coach, who deftly manages group dynamics like no other, shared Mbappé's beaming smile on their way to the locker room, with the match well under control and an ovation from Bernabéu.