Bartra’s Foot Keeps Mbappé Penalty Decision Intact

Overview

• Kylian Mbappé missed a 94th-minute penalty that would have levelled the game and referee José María Sánchez Martínez reviewed the kick with VAR before deciding not to order a retake.
• The Spanish referees' committee backed the on-field call, citing the 2026–2027 IFAB interpretation that counts a player as inside the area only if some part of their body touching the ground is over the line.
• Match footage and committee guidance showed one of Marc Bartra’s feet was on the ground outside the box at the instant the ball was struck, so officials judged there was no encroachment under the written rule.
• Bartra later said he had practised a tiny jump after seeing a similar play and asking a former referee about the law, which he said told him a foot not touching the ground would not be an infringement.
• The 1–0 result for Real Betis stands and hands Real Madrid their first La Liga defeat of the season, while the incident has fuelled calls for clearer enforcement guidance and renewed scrutiny of rule loopholes that invite gamesmanship.