Carlos Espi scored a 90th-minute winner as Real Madrid claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory over Espanyol in the first game of Jose Mourinho’s second spell in charge.
Handed the reins again 13 years on from the end of his first spell after a turbulent and trophy-less 2025-26 season for Madrid, it looked as if Mourinho would have to endure a frustrating start.
Madrid took an early lead in their LaLiga opener as England star Judge Bellingham headed them in front, only for Alex Calatrava to level for Espanyol.
Los Blancos, whose starting XI included new signings Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva, were largely unconvincing thereafter.
But just as the game looked to be meandering towards a stalemate, a more unheralded new recruit settled the contest, with former Levante striker Espi pouncing after Espanyol failed to properly defend a darting run into the area from Kylian Mbappe and slamming home a decisive first goal for the club.
Madrid win it late on Mourinho’s return
It took just 10 minutes for the first goal of the second Mourinho era to arrive as Bellingham rose to meet Arda Guler’s left-wing free-kick and produced a header that had just enough power to beat the dive of Marko Dmitrovic.
Espanyol responded well, however, and Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to be alert to keep out a deflected drive from Clemens Riedel.
But there was nothing Courtois could do to stop Espanyol levelling when Calatrava steered home from Javier Hernandez’s low ball into the box.
Kylian Mbappe twice went close to restoring Madrid’s advantage before half-time, but each time the France star was denied by the legs of the impressive Dmitrovic.
Dmitrovic was required again eight minutes into the second half to tip another Bellingham header onto the crossbar, with Mbappe unable to get the right contact on the rebound.
New signings Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande were introduced shortly after the hour mark, but Madrid struggled to create much in terms of further clear-cut chances until Federico Valverde clipped the outside of the post 12 minutes from the end of normal time.
But Espi was clinical when the opportunity came his way, the 21-year-old showing composure to control the ball after Mbappe was dispossessed and then leaving Dmitrovic with no chance with his close-range finish to send Mourinho and the delighted Madrid dugout into raptures.
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