Mourinho's Real Madrid Era Begins with Dramatic Last-Minute Win Over Espanyol

The José Mourinho era at Real Madrid commenced with a dramatic and hard-fought 2-1 victory over a resilient Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium. The match, which saw Real Madrid sweat for every point, was decided in the final moments when young forward Carlos Espí broke the deadlock in the 90th minute, snatching a crucial win on the Portuguese coach's official debut.

Real Madrid's new signings made an immediate impact. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the ninth minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from Espanyol's Dmitrovic after a well-placed free-kick from Arda Güler. The early goal suggested a comfortable afternoon for the visitors, whose attack, featuring Kylian Mbappé, showed early promise with another close chance shortly after.

However, Espanyol refused to be intimidated. Their resilience paid off in the 30th minute when Javi Hernández delivered a precise cross into the area. Calatrava met the ball with a spectacular left-footed volley, beating Courtois and leveling the score, igniting the home crowd. The intensity remained high after halftime, with Real Madrid appealing for a second yellow card for Cala, which was denied by the referee.

Despite continued pressure from Real Madrid, including a brilliant save by Dmitrovic denying Bellingham a second goal and appeals for a penalty that were waved away, Espanyol held firm. Coach Mourinho introduced fresh legs from the bench, seeking a breakthrough. The decisive moment arrived late in the game when, after a dynamic play by Mbappé, the ball fell loose in the six-yard box. Espí reacted quickest, poking the ball home to secure a dramatic opening-day win for Real Madrid.