Real Madrid Aim for Fourth Straight Win Against Real Betis
Real Madrid head to Seville on Friday chasing a fourth straight win and a statement that their flawless start to the 2026-27 La Liga season is no early-season illusion.
Jose Mourinho’s side dismantled newly-promoted Malaga 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, a scoreline that barely flattered them. Jude Bellingham dictated, Kylian Mbappe exploded into space, Arda Guler added finesse. Three games, three wins, 10 goals scored, none conceded. Only Barcelona’s goal difference keeps Madrid in second.
Now comes a different kind of examination. The heat, noise and chaos of a trip to Real Betis, a side still stung by a 5-2 defeat to Levante after opening with back-to-back victories. Betis will be angry, aggressive and desperate to reset the narrative. Madrid arrive as the league’s early juggernaut.
Mourinho has the momentum. His medical bulletin is less straightforward.
Tchouameni and Endrick edging closer
Aurelien Tchouameni has yet to kick a ball this season, his campaign stalled by a muscle injury. The French midfielder is edging towards a return and is listed as a minor doubt, with a possible comeback pencilled in for the Betis clash on September 4.
Mourinho, though, is wary. With a long season ahead and Madrid already humming in midfield, he is reluctant to gamble with Tchouameni’s fitness. If there is the slightest doubt, the coach is prepared to hold him back.
Endrick is in a similar bracket. The Brazilian teenager has missed the opening three matches with a muscular problem but is now close enough to contention that his name is back on the squad whiteboard. There is a genuine chance he could make a matchday squad for the first time this season on Friday, even if only as an impact option from the bench.
The prospect of Mbappe, Bellingham and Vinicius already looks daunting. Add Endrick’s raw energy into the mix and Madrid’s attacking arsenal starts to look frightening.
Long-term absentees still shaping Mourinho’s plans
Behind the scenes, the injury room remains busy and is quietly shaping Mourinho’s rotation.
Eder Militao has been out since suffering a hamstring injury against Alaves on April 21. His recovery is moving in the right direction, but he is not expected back before the first international break. Until then, Mourinho will continue to lean heavily on his remaining senior centre-backs, knowing one more setback could stretch the back line thin.
Rodrygo’s situation is more brutal. The Brazilian forward is facing an extended spell on the sidelines after a serious knee injury sustained in March. The expectation is that he will not return until the early stages of 2027, removing a key attacking reference point from Madrid’s plans for almost the entire season.
Raul Asencio’s story is more complicated. The defender, who had been linked with a summer exit, missed the start of the campaign with a quadricep issue. He has shaken that off, only to be hit by a separate problem in the same leg. Medical staff are weighing up whether surgery is required, a decision that could sideline him for six to eight weeks. For a player already fighting for his place, the timing could hardly be worse.
Ferland Mendy’s outlook is even more severe. A thigh injury is set to keep the left-back out until the latter stages of 2026, forcing Mourinho to live without a natural, experienced option in that role for the long term. It alters the balance of the back four and may yet influence winter transfer planning.
Thiago Pitarch, injured at the very start of pre-season in his first training session, is back working with the ball on the training pitches after a knee problem. That is progress, but there is still no clear date for his competitive return. For now, he remains a name on the “out” list rather than a realistic option.
Clean disciplinary slate for Seville
If the injury list is lengthy, the disciplinary sheet is refreshingly blank. Real Madrid have no players suspended for Friday’s trip, giving Mourinho one less variable to juggle in a week already loaded with medical updates and tactical decisions.
Three wins from three have set the tone. Betis away will test the depth behind that perfect start. With key figures still in the treatment room and others inching back towards fitness, how long can Madrid keep winning while they wait for the cavalry to arrive?
