New IFAB rule proves Mbappe’s penalty should have been retaken during Betis vs Real Madrid

A new rule from the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has reignited the debate over Kylian Mbappe's penalty that was missed during Real Madrid's match against Real Betis. In the closing moments of the game, Alvaro Valles managed to save Mbappe’s penalty, leading to a flurry of protests from the Real Madrid players.

The controversy was initially fueled by a claim that Betis defender Marc Bartra had encroached into the penalty area before the kick, despite being airborne. However, the new IFAB rules for the 2026/27 season provide a different perspective on this matter. The updated Laws of the Game clarify how a player’s position is determined when they are in the air.

According to these rules, a player's position is established by the projected position of their feet as if they were touching the ground. In this particular incident, Bartra did not need to physically touch the turf inside the box for his position to be considered an encroachment. Additionally, the impact of Bartra's involvement after the saved kick plays a crucial role.

Under the updated Law 14, a defending player's encroachment only leads to a penalty retake if it has an impact after the saved kick. In this case, Bartra cleared the rebound before Mbappe could reach it, which could potentially provide the required impact under Law 14. Thus, based on the new IFAB rules, if it is confirmed that Bartra's projected foot position was inside the penalty area when Mbappe took the kick, the penalty should have been retaken according to the updated regulations.