Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-1 in Jose Mourinho’s first game on return

In the 90th minute of the Real Madrid debut against Espanyol, Carlos Espí deftly avoided a penalty kick, saving the day for the visitors. The 1.94-meter tall 21-year-old forward, known for his old-fashioned style, made room and assisted his team, rescuing the whites in the face of adversity after a night of poor visibility during the match.

For most of the session, the Madrid of Mourinho resembled previous editions, struggling to capitalize on their attacking options. They were inconsistent, failing to dominate possession and make timely runs forward. In the second half, they barely threatened despite mounting pressure. Espí crossed paths with a resolute and threatening Espanyol in the opening part, and again in the closing stages.

His goal proved crucial as Dmitrovic prevented Mbappé and held firm until Espí's intervention. The lack of fluidity and clashing of styles led Mourinho to deploy a squad of attackers (Bellingham, Vinicius, Diomande, Mbappé, and Espí) and exclude his two leading forwards to organize the attack. The exit came swiftly in the early minutes when Bellingham, Vinicius, and Mbappé made their tactical substitution, a move that proved challenging.

The only players to earn playing time were Diomande and Marc Cucurella. Bellingham opened the scoring with a clean header inside the box, linking with Güler and scoring the first goal, which put Madrid ahead. However, the lead quickly evaporated as Espanyol grew more organized, losing their edge. The integration of Bellingham and Güler did not displace the Turkish player to the right, as anticipated, but rather positioned him centrally to help organize the defense.

His activity was evident, although his team's play unraveled. The advantage seemed to deflate more than grow. Riedel and Roberto Fernández had two consecutive chances just before the equalizer, highlighting Madrid's vulnerability. The 1-1 draw exposed the team's inconsistencies behind the goal. They defended with several men in the area, but no one could capitalize on Cala's arrival.

Dolan also threatened in a similar manner before halftime. The Madrid team found itself in a murky zone, struggling to find cohesion. Güler, Bernardo Silva, Vinicius, and Mbappé, along with Espí, were the only four players to make a real impact. The evening was bleak for Madrid, and Mourinho intervened early to bring on Diomande and Cucurella, sacrificing Güler to provide the necessary freshness.

The tide of the game shifted, and Espí emerged as the hero, resolving a complicated debut for the white-clad team.