New signing ensures Mourinho starts Real Madrid return with win against Barcelona domiciled rivals

It's a new LALIGA season, but the same Real Madrid—despite a new face in the dugout—as Los Blancos left it late to beat Espanyol, marking their start to the 2026/27 campaign with victory.

José Mourinho's first official game since his return to Real Madrid nearly began with frustration, but a dramatic 90th-minute winner from debutant Carlos Espí ensured Los Merengues secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium.

Returning to the helm 13 years after his first stint, Mourinho handed starts to a raft of new signings, including Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté, and Bernardo Silva. 

However, it was a relatively unheralded recruit who ultimately delivered the decisive blow in a fiercely contested match against a confident Espanyol side.

Real Madrid asserted their dominance early on. In the 9th minute, Jude Bellingham rose highest to meet a pinpoint free-kick from Arda Güler, directing a powerful header past Espanyol goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Despite falling behind, the newly promoted hosts refused to capitulate. Buoyed by a raucous home crowd and their impressive 3-0 opening-day win over Levante, Espanyol raised their intensity, closing down Madrid's midfield. 

Their persistence was rewarded in the 30th minute when Álex Calatrava expertly steered home Javier Hernández’s low cross to level the match at 1-1.

Los Blancos had several opportunities to restore their advantage before halftime, but Kylian Mbappé was repeatedly denied by Dmitrović, who produced an outstanding performance between the posts.

The second half devolved into a gritty affair. Dmitrović was called into action again eight minutes after the restart, brilliantly tipping another Bellingham header onto the crossbar.

Searching for a spark, Mourinho turned to his bench, introducing new arrivals Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomandé shortly after the hour mark. 

As the match seemed destined for a stalemate, Mourinho made another crucial substitution, bringing on former Levante striker Carlos Espí for Bellingham in the 79th minute.

Deep into the final moments, Kylian Mbappé executed a darting run into the penalty area. When Espanyol failed to adequately clear their lines, Carlos Espí pounced on the loose ball and emphatically slammed it home, securing three points and writing his name into the headlines on his competitive debut

For Real Madrid, pulling out a late victory on the road is the quintessential start Mourinho would have demanded. They avoid dropping points early in the title race and will carry this momentum into their home opener against Real Sociedad on Wednesday, August 26, at the Santiago Bernabéu.

For Espanyol, it is a heartbreaking result, but there are plenty of positives to take. They matched one of Europe's elite toe-to-toe for 89 minutes. They will look to bounce back when they also travel to San Sebastián to face Real Sociedad on August 29.