José Mourinho was left visibly frustrated after Real Madrid suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Real Betis on Friday, admitting he simply had no explanation for his team's first loss since returning to LaLiga.

Despite dominating possession, creating countless scoring opportunities and controlling nearly every aspect of the match, Madrid walked away empty-handed in a result that stunned both the players and their manager.

The decisive moment came in the 81st minute when substitute Troy Parrott fired Betis into the lead. Madrid pushed desperately for an equalizer in a dramatic finish, but Carlos Espí saw a spectacular goal ruled out for offside before Kylian Mbappé's stoppage-time penalty was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Álvaro Valles.

It was a cruel ending for a Madrid side that registered eight shots on target and an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.16—statistics that reflected their dominance but not the final score.

For the first time since the 2014-15 campaign, Real Madrid have failed to win one of their opening four LaLiga matches.

"Sometimes you lose and you simply don't know why," Mourinho said after the match. "There are games you can't explain. We controlled everything, played with intensity, created chance after chance and stayed focused from start to finish."

"If we had drawn, we would have felt disappointed because we deserved much more. Imagine how painful it is to leave with a defeat."

The Portuguese coach also chose not to comment on the controversial moments late in the game, including Mbappé's missed penalty—which Madrid believed should have been retaken because of an alleged encroachment by Betis defender Marc Bartra—and Espí's disallowed equalizer.

"I haven't watched those plays yet, so I can't judge them," Mourinho said. "Maybe my opinion will change after reviewing the match, but from what I saw on the bench, I still can't understand how we lost. The team performed brilliantly in every department. Individually, I have nothing to criticize. We clearly deserved to win, but football isn't always fair. Playing well doesn't always earn you points."

Young forward Carlos Espí once again impressed after nearly rescuing Madrid with a sensational late finish. Although the goal was ruled out, Mourinho praised the youngster's impact.

"He's a special talent," the coach said. "He came on, did exactly what we asked of him and almost changed the game. He has enormous potential, and I'm delighted with his progress."

Mourinho also suggested that his players were too honest during key moments of the match, contrasting their approach with Betis' more experienced game management.

"Betis were smarter in the way they handled certain situations," he admitted. "My players are too naive sometimes. They focus on playing football, while opponents know how to put pressure on the referee and manage the game's emotions. That's part of modern football."

The defeat gives Barcelona the opportunity to move three points clear of Real Madrid if they defeat Valencia on Sunday, increasing the pressure on Mourinho's side early in the LaLiga season.