Mourinho’s Real Madrid Secures Late 2-1 Victory Over Espanyol in La Liga Opener

Carlos Espi scores late to snatch a win for Real Madrid after Alex Calatrava had levelled Jude Bellingham’s opener.

Published On 22 Aug 202622 Aug 2026

Portuguese veteran Mourinho resumes his second tenure at Real Madrid with a 2-1 La Liga victory over Espanyol, crowning Carlos Espi as the hero after a last-minute strike.

New signing Espi capitalized on a loose ball in the 90th minute to secure the win, following Jude Bellingham’s early goal. Mourinho’s strategic reshuffling, including deploying Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Bellingham, proved decisive as the team sought to control the match.

Bellingham’s header from Arda Guler’s cross marked his return to form, signaling Mourinho’s renewed focus on aggressive attacking play. Espanyol’s defender Clements Riedel’s early challenge against Courtois highlighted the visitors’ resolve, but Madrid’s midfield dominance, led by Bellingham’s interplay with new additions like Bernardo Silva and Denzel Dumfries, shifted the momentum.

Despite Espanyol equalizing through Alex Calatrava in the 30th minute—a result of a well-executed team move—the visitors struggled to unsettle Mourinho’s star-studded lineup. Thibaut Courtois made critical saves, including denying Kylian Mbappe, who failed to replicate his usual scoring prowess.

Mourinho introduced late reinforcements Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella in the final stretches, yet Espanyol remained resilient. However, Espi’s opportunistic finish sealed the result, underlining his role as a key acquisition for Mourinho’s tactical setup.

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