Real Betis 2-3 Real Madrid: 5 talking points as VAR takes centre stage in the reigning champions' first win of the season | LaLiga 2020-21

#3 Toni Kroos' injury could spell trouble for Real Madrid

Toni Kroos' injury could spell trouble for Real Madrid

Toni Kroos has become one of the true greats at Real Madrid, establishing his reputation as one of the tidiest players in possession, with the slickest passing ability.

His injury against Real Betis will certainly be a huge concern if it is a long-term one, with Zinedine Zidane's tactical set-up heavily reliant on his brilliance at the centre of the park. He went off at the 42nd minute clutching his hamstring, which raised concerns all around the Real Madrid dugout.

Real Madrid seem to have ample backup in the position despite shipping out players like James Rodriguez and Dani Ceballos out in the transfer window. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops.

#4 Manuel Pellegrini's return to the dugout

Manuel Pellegrini has decided to continue his journey with Real Betis

After a less than convincing reign with a faltering West Ham side, Manuel Pellegrini decided to take a small break from the game. His future was very much in question as a lot of people thought he might retire after his second stint in the Premier League turned out to be a terrible experience for all parties involved.

His return to football with Real Betis is a great move for La Liga. He will be hoping that his tactics help Real Betis challenge for a European spot along with Valencia, Villareal, Sevilla, Bilbao and Sociedad. His side may have been outclassed by their opponents on Saturday but there were a lot of positives to take away from the game.

#5 The mark of champions

Real Betis v Real Madrid - La Liga Santander

Real Madrid came into Saturday's fixture much sharper than in their previous game. Encounters between Real Madrid and Real Betis are generally very entertaining, with the previous 6 meetings having 27 goals in them.

Real Madrid were extremely dominant in the first 20 minutes, having taken the lead with Fede Valverde. However, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema both missed chances to extend the advantage before Real Betis equalised and took a temporary lead.

Putting those bad misses behind, Real Madrid got up to the task in the second half of the game, crushing all hopes the home side had of taking points away from the game. Valverde put in a man-of-the-match performance in the middle of the park, stifling Betis players to the extent that they made passes straight to Real Madrid players several times.

Real Madrid showed why they were crowned La Liga champions last year and why they are the favourites to go on and repeat last season's feat this year, too.