Real Madrid’s La Liga dreams took a big hit Friday night when Héctor Bellerín scored a 94th-minute equaliser, earning Real Betis a 1-1 draw. With that late goal, Madrid now sit eight points behind Barcelona, and if Barça win their next match, they could pull even further away with just a handful of games left.

Madrid actually started strong in Seville. Vinícius Jr took advantage of a goalkeeping mistake and put them ahead early in the 17th minute. After that, Madrid had control for large stretches, but it just didn’t translate into goals. Kylian Mbappé had one ruled out for offside, and Jude Bellingham, along with the rest of Madrid’s attack, missed some big chances. It all came back to haunt them when, in the dying seconds, Bellerín capitalised on the chaos at the back and smashed in the equaliser.

People are talking about Madrid’s defence and not in a good way. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet for ten straight league games. The last time the backline struggled this much in a single season was way back in 2003-04, when Carlos Queiroz was in charge. This run has cost Madrid dearly, with dropped points piling up right when the title race is heating up.

This result marks Madrid’s fifth league draw this season, another missed chance that opens the door for Hansi Flick’s relentless Barcelona to run away with the title. With their Champions League hopes already gone, Madrid are now staring at what could be just their fifth season without a trophy this century. About the only bright spot? Mbappé made his 100th appearance for the club, becoming just the tenth Frenchman to reach that milestone for Madrid. Still, even that was undercut; he limped off with a suspected hamstring injury about ten minutes from the end.

Honestly, the title now looks like a lost cause. If Barcelona beat Getafe, they will go 11 points clear. Madrid has two tough away fixtures next: Espanyol, then Barcelona in a do-or-die El Clásico that could finish off their title hopes for good. With their form stalling and Barça flying, Madrid now need a minor miracle and a huge Barcelona slip-up to avoid ending this season empty-handed.

Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, just took a surprising step into cricket. He bought a minority stake, 1.2 per cent, worth about £1 million in Birmingham Phoenix, the team in The Hundred. That franchise is split between Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Knighthead Capital, an American investment firm. Knighthead added Bellingham by selling off part of their ownership, which dropped from 49 per cent to 48.4 per cent once he joined.

Bellingham picked up equal shares from Warwickshire and Knighthead, both of whom also co-own Birmingham City Football Club. That’s the team where Bellingham got his start; he came up through the youth squads and made his debut for the first team at just 16. Then he went off to Borussia Dortmund in Germany for a hefty £22.75 million transfer before Real Madrid snapped him up last year for about £88 million.

He grew up in Stourbridge, played junior cricket for Hagley Cricket Club as a teenager, and honestly, he’s loved cricket forever.

“I love Birmingham. I’m so grateful for everything the city’s given me. And I love cricket too, so once this opportunity came up, I didn’t even have to think about it; I just went for it,” Bellingham said, via ESPNcricinfo.

He’s pretty clear about his roots: “I owe so much to Birmingham, Stourbridge, and the West Midlands. I got the best start in football and in life through Birmingham City. I feel like I owe the city. Right now, football keeps me busy, but if I can help in any way, this seems like a great way to do it.”

Warwickshire says Bellingham’s investment means he’ll get involved in community activities and corporate social responsibility projects around Birmingham.

And Bellingham’s big push? He wants kids to get out and play sports. “It’s so important for kids in the city to have that chance,” he said. “Whether it’s football or cricket, I want people to see there are different paths. When I was growing up, I got to choose between cricket and football, but not all kids get that kind of opportunity. If I can help shine a light on something for them, that’s even better.”