Mourinho's return: Real Madrid wins dramatic opener with late goal

Real Madrid began their LaLiga 2026-2027 campaign with a dramatic 2-1 victory over RCD Espanyol, thanks to a late winner from 21-year-old homegrown talent Carlos Espí. The match, played at the RCDE Stadium, was charged with suspense and ended happily for "The Special One," manager José Mourinho, marking a triumphant return to the Spanish capital. This crucial three-point win ignites hope for the demanding season ahead.

The tactical battle saw Espanyol's Manolo González employ a 4-2-3-1 formation to stifle Real Madrid's attack, focusing on closing passing lanes to Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Júnior. In response, Mourinho opted for a classic 4-4-2, emphasizing width and offensive projection. Real Madrid's starting lineup featured Thibaut Courtois in goal, a defense of Denzel Dumfries, Dean Huijsen, Ibrahima Konaté, and Álvaro Carreras. The midfield was anchored by Arda Güler, Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, and Jude Bellingham, with Mbappé and Vinicius Júnior leading the line. Espanyol countered with Marko Dmitrovic; Omar el Hilali, Clemens Riedel, Unai Núñez, Roger Hinojo; Edu Expósito, Urko Gonzalez; Álex Calatrava, Javier Hernández, Tyrhys Dolan; and Roberto Fernández as the lone striker.

Real Madrid asserted control early on, with the combination of Arda Güler and Jude Bellingham proving troublesome for the home defense. Bellingham opened the scoring, but Espanyol showed character and equalized. The game remained a high-intensity tactical contest until Espí's decisive goal secured the win for Madrid.

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