Substitute Espi snatches last-gasp winner in Real Madrid LaLiga opener

Real Madrid's LaLiga debut nearly ended in a stumble until substitute Carlo Espi delivered a decisive blow in the 90th minute, securing a dramatic 2-1 victory against Espanyol on Saturday.

The visitors initially appeared poised for a comfortable start when Jude Bellingham headed home Arda Guler's cross in the ninth minute. However, Espanyol fought back, leveling the score on the half-hour mark through Alex Calatrava, who finished past Thibaut Courtois after a well-placed pass from Javi Hernandez.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho made several tactical changes after halftime to break the deadlock. The winning goal came from Espi, who was brought on with ten minutes remaining. He capitalized on a loose ball after Kylian Mbappe was dispossessed and fired it into the net.

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I believe that it must be hard for Espanyol to digest this loss. They fought, played well and held on until really late in the match but I think we deserved the win.

Mourinho commended his team's performance, stating, "It was a win with soul, with resiliency, with the strength we have from the bench. I'm happy with the hunger the players showed coming from the bench, that is what we need." The victory marked a hard-fought beginning to the new era under Mourinho, who returned to the club amidst high expectations and significant transfer window spending aimed at challenging Barcelona's dominance.

While the early goal from Bellingham and Guler's assist suggested a polished start, Real Madrid's attacking stars, including Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, struggled to find their rhythm. Espanyol capitalized on this lack of sharpness, reminding Real of challenging moments from previous seasons. The introduction of new signings Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande in the second half, along with Espi's late heroics, ultimately secured the crucial three points.

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It was a win with soul, with resiliency, with the strength we have from the bench. I'm happy with the hunger the players showed coming from the bench, that is what we need.