Madrid loses last match of season to forget

Real Madrid put a fittingly poor ending to its worst season in recent memory after losing its last match of the Spanish league on Sunday.

Many of the frustrated fans at the Santiago Bernabeu jeered Madrid's players after the 2-0 loss to Real Betis. Most of Madrid's supporters have long placed their hopes on what changes the club will make to an underperforming squad in the summer.

Not even coach Zinedine Zidane could find a saving grace to the campaign.

Betis players, center, celebrate after scoring their second goal against Real Madrid during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

"It isn't that we don't want to (play better); we aren't able to," Zidane said. "The best thing is for this to be over. We are already thinking about the future and next season."

Madrid entered the match with nothing to play for, locked into a third-place finish for the second consecutive season.

Madrid was out of the Champions League and Copa del Rey in early March and without a realistic chance of stopping Barcelona from successfully defending its La Liga title.

Real Madrid's Isco, center, duels for the ball against Betis player William Silva de Carvalho, left, and Betis player Aissa Mandi during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

Since the return of Zidane to take charge of the club after its shock loss to Ajax in the round-of-16 in the Champions League, the team has finished the campaign with a record of 5 wins, two draws and four losses.

"The fault is ours," Madrid defender Marcelo said. "We didn't start well and we didn't finish it well either. In no way was this the season we wanted to have."

BETIS BEST

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, center, duels for the ball against Betis player Francis Guerrero, left, and Betis player Aissa Mandi during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

Betis outplayed the hosts from the start and got second-half goals from Loren Morón and former Madrid forward Jesé Rodríguez.

Giovani Lo Celso led Betis to victory with his creativity. The Argentine midfielder created all of his team's best chances, drawing a save from goalkeeper Keylor Navas before setting up both goals.

A long ball by Lo Celso set Andrés Guardado free down the left as he sprinted clear of Raphael Varane before crossing for Morón to score.

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Keylor Navas at the end of a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

Lo Celso then slipped a ball through to Junior Firpo, who found Jesé unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box.

Betis finished the season in 10th place amid speculation that coach Quique Setién will not continue next season despite beating both Madrid and Barcelona at their stadiums.

"This allows us to finish a season that has been a bit disappointing with a victory against a team and at a stadium that will always be a nice memory," said Setién, who added that he has "the strength to stay on" next season.

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, right, duels for the ball against Betis player Aissa Mandi during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

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Real Madrid's Luka Modric, center, duels for the ball against Betis player Lo Celso, left and Betis player Kaptoum during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 19, 2019. (AP PhotoBernat Armangue)

PARIS (AP) — Former Marseille coach Rolland Courbis, a charismatic figure of French soccer who later became a prominent pundit, has died, his employer said on Monday. He was 72.

RMC radio did not disclose the cause of the death in a statement released in agreement with Courbis' family.

Born in Marseille, Courbis came through the club's academy. A rugged defender, he was part of the team that won the French league and cup double in 1972 and returned to the club in the late 1990s as coach.

As a player, he also won two French league titles and a French Cup with Monaco.

“A Marseillais at heart, he embodied popular, dynamic football. His unmistakable accent carried his frank, direct, often passionate and always sincere words,” Marseille said in a tribute.

Courbis enjoyed a much-traveled coaching career, with spells in France and abroad, notably at Bordeaux, Lens, Montpellier and the USM Alger.

Among the many defining moments of his career was a stunning comeback he oversaw when coaching Marseille. His team found itself 4-0 down at home to Montpellier in 1998 but fought back to seal a remarkable 5-4 victory.

Courbis, who had a taste for casino gambling and lived with an Italian countess for a while, led a tumultuous life. He was seriously wounded in 1996 when gunmen fatally shot the president of a French soccer team outside a stadium following a game. Courbis, who was also involved in several legal cases and sentenced to prison, was hit by a bullet during the attack.

France coach Didier Deschamps said that with his passing, French soccer lost “a fine connoisseur of football and its inner workings, but also of the game itself.”

“He was a true passionate figure,” Deschamps added. “And in recent years, he chose to pass on that passion behind a microphone, with a turn of phrase all his own.”

Since 2005, he had become a consultant on RMC, where he commented on football news.

“His passion came through in his trademark Marseille accent and in a very direct rapport with listeners,” RMC said. “A freedom of tone that kept the language of the supporters, while sharing their questions and emotions. He was particularly successful in remaining approachable and warm, while still being demanding on substance.”

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FILE - Coach of Montpellier Rolland Courbis reacts during the French League One soccer match Nice against Montpellier, Friday, Dec. 18, 2015, in Nice stadium, southeastern France. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, file)