5 ways Real Madrid can shake off their Bernabeu shackles

#2 Defensive discipline

Defender Sergio Ramos has scored crucial goals for Real Madrid

Nobody understands the pressure of impressing the fans at the Santiago Bernabeu like Sergio Ramos, and it is no coincidence that the captain has been in the right place at the right time late in key games to grab vital last-minute goals throughout his career.

Once again, the Spanish defender acted as a marauding forward in the final few minutes as he went in search of a desperately-needed winner, but neglected his defensive duties in the process.

As Real Madrid pushed more and more players forward, the defence became more and more disjointed, and Real Betis knew that this was their time.

It was a well-worked plan that was implemented to perfection, while Real Madrid failed to respond to the warning signs when Betis had a potentially winning goal chalked-off for offside just minutes before scoring the eventual winner.

These are the unique pressures of playing, and struggling, at the Bernabeu, and while a goal would have made the scorer an instant hero, it was the late defensive frailties that eventually proved to be the difference between the two sides.

While some clubs would have happily worked hard for a point without daring to tread into the Real Madrid half through fear of being exposed on the counter-attack, Real Betis sprung the perfect trap in leaving it so late.