According to Marca, Real Madrid entered the match in a strong manner and dominated the first half hour, before the rhythm of the match changed after Vinicius Junior came into contact with an Espanyol player and then with the fans, which gave the hosts a great morale boost and returned them to the atmosphere of confrontation.
Mourinho chose his first squad in the Spanish League with Courtois in goal, Dumfries, Konate, Howesen and Carreras in defence, Valverde and Bernardo Silva in the midfield, and in front of them are Guler, Billingham, Vinicius and Mbappe. It is a lineup that bore the imprint of the new deals, with a clear presence of the heavy attacking trio.
Real Madrid needed less than 10 minutes to open the scoring. From a free ball received by Vinicius, Arda Guler sent a perfect cross into the penalty area, which Jude Bellingham followed up with a header into the net, confirming the continuation of the strong level he showed in the World Cup.
But Real Madrid, which seemed in control and calm, lost part of its advantage after Vinicius became tense in the stands. From that moment, the match turned from one direction to an open confrontation between the two sides, and Espanyol was able to return to the result.
As for Kylian Mbappe, he was present in the opportunities and absent from the scoring. The French star, who won the Golden Shoe in the World Cup, had more than one chance, but Espanyol Stadium remained among the stadiums in which he did not succeed in scoring.
On the other hand, the solution came from Carlos Espe, the least noisy deal among Real Madrid’s signings. The young player snatched the decisive goal and gave the team 3 valuable points, in a start that may make him one of the names that give Mourinho important solutions this season.
Arda Guler was one of the most prominent faces of the match, as he seemed more mature and capable of leading the game. “Marca” saw that Al-Turki is no longer just a flash player, but rather has become a name that Real Madrid must build around his talent, especially since the team lost much of its luster after his exit as the first substitute.
The match also witnessed a special reception for Mark Cucurría, who entered the second half to the applause of Espanyol fans, as he is a world champion and a former player who passed through the club’s academy.
The physical conflict between Konate and Espanyol striker Roberto also emerged, in one of the most prominent battles of the match. The French defender provided good indicators that justified Real Madrid’s bet on him as a starter, while Roberto exhausted the royal team’s defense with his movements and strong play.
Before the end, Federico Valverde almost decided the match with a powerful shot near the 80th minute, but it hit the post. However, Real Madrid came out with what they wanted from the first night: a difficult win, a successful start for Mourinho, and a clear message that the team has big names, but it needs time to become a complete machine.
