Mourinho's Real Madrid debut ends in last-gasp win at Espanyol

Jose Mourinho's second stint as Real Madrid manager began with a dramatic 2-1 win against Espanyol on Saturday. Substitute Carlos Espi netted the decisive goal in the 90th minute, securing victory in the team's opening La Liga fixture.

Jude Bellingham had put Real Madrid ahead early on, but Espanyol fought back. Alex Calatrava leveled the score in the 30th minute after a well-worked team move. The match saw Mourinho deploy a strong lineup including Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Bellingham, alongside new signings Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries, and Ibrahima Konate.

Bellingham, who had a strong first season but saw subsequent years decline, was instrumental. Mourinho positioned him in attacking midfield, and he headed home the opener from an Arda Guler free-kick. Espanyol, however, showed resilience, with Thibaut Courtois making key saves to deny them.

Mourinho introduced further reinforcements, including record signing Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella, in the final 25 minutes as Real Madrid pushed for a winner. Federico Valverde struck the post, but it was Espi who ultimately capitalized on a loose ball in the box to seal the dramatic win.

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Real Madrid players celebrate their second goal scored by Real Madrid’s Spanish forward #19 Carlos Espi Escrihuela during the Spanish league football match between RCD Espanyol and Real Madrid CF at RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on August 22, 2026.