Real Madrid avoided defeat in their opening LaLiga game for an 18th successive season as debutant Carlos Espí popped up with a late winner to secure a 2-1 win against Espanyol, and make it seven straight wins for José Mourinho in managerial debuts.
2026/2027 La Liga
1-2
Match Report
Breaking Barcelona’s period of dominance was the goal in Mourinho’s first spell in charge of Real, and the mission is the same second time around. And the self-proclaimed Special One’s sophomore reign got off to the perfect start inside the opening 10 minutes, as Jude Bellingham climbed highest inside the area to power home Arda Güler’s teasing free-kick at the near post. Espanyol were visibly rattled by Real’s intensity and high pressure, but so nearly hit back midway through the half when Clemens Riedel’s 30-yard piledriver forced Thibaut Courtois to make a smart stop.
That pot-shot from distance seemed to spur the hosts into life, and they managed to peg Mourinho’s men back moments later. Javi Hernández did the heavy lifting in the build up, jinking his way to the byline before cutting back for the unmarked Álex Calatrava to sweep home. The two sides traded blows in a bid to take a lead into HT, and Kylian Mbappé saw an effort blocked by the legs of Marko Dmitrović, before an unmarked Roberto Fernández fluffed a header from just six yards out.
The second half began in much similar fashion to the first, with Real firmly on the front foot, and another Bellingham header almost nosed the visitors back in front, but this time the Englishman’s header crashed back off the crossbar. Mourinho introduced new club-record signing Yan Diomandé shortly after the hour mark to try and provide his side with some extra final-third impetus, and it almost proved to be a masterstroke when his deflected cross fell favourably for Federico Valverde on the edge of the area, but his shot bounced away to safety off the outside of the post.
Mbappé’s half-volley from the edge of the area 10 minutes from time – which went out closer to the corner flag than the target – was somewhat symptomatic of the struggles Real faced all evening. But they found their key moment in the first minute of stoppage time when Espí was quickest to react to a loose ball inside the area, rounding Dmitrović and hammering into an empty net to bring a halt to Espanyol’s four-match unbeaten LaLiga run and get Real off to a winning start.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
4' Vini Jr is brought down from behind by his opponent and that is a foul
9' GOAL! Guler sends a cross in and Bellingham sends his header into the net! Espanyol 0-1 Real Madrid
15' Dmitrovic blocks Kylian Mbappe's effort from the edge of the box
20' Dumfries attempts to send a pass into the box but the opposition's defence knocks the ball to safety
24' Huijsen requires medical treatment, so the referee stops play and signals for the physio to come on
30' GOAL! Calatrava latches on to a pass and unleashes a stunning effort! Espanyol 1-1 Real Madrid
32' Vini sees a yellow! His tackle wasn't that harsh, but he probably talked himself into Sanchez's book
53' Pochettino is here at the stadium
54' Bellingham's header sails straight towards the net but it's deflected onto the bar by the keeper
60' Mbappe fires his free-kick high over the bar
62' Vini goes down in the box after a challenge from the defender, the referee just waves play on
66' Debut time! Yan Diomande and Cucurella joins the action as a substitute, replacing Guler & Carreras
78' Valverde picks up a rebound and fires in from mid-range, but the ball crashes against the right post
82' Espi plays the ball for Mbappe, who sends his effort wide of the post
90' GOAL! Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid (Carlos Espí)
Line-ups
Espanyol XI: Dmitrovic, Núñez, Exposito, Tyrhys Dolan, Álex Calatrava, Urko González de Zárate, Omar El Hilali, Roberto Fernández, Clemens Riedel, Javi Hernández, Roger Hinojo
Subs: Pere Milla, Pol Lozano, Vanja Drkusic, Jofre Carreras, Ángel Fortuño, Marcos Fernández, Quilindschy Hartman, Gabriel Moscardo, Rafel Bauzà, Llorenç Serred, José Ángel López, Adama Timera
Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Bernardo Silva, Dumfries, Mbappe, Valverde, Konate, Vinicius, Bellingham, Güler, Álvaro Carreras, Dean Huijsen
Subs: Rudiger, Cucurella, Alexander-Arnold, Brahim, Lunin, Camavinga, Sergio Mestre, Mario Rivas, Jorge Cestero, Carlos Espí, Alexis Ciria, Yan Diomande