Real Madrid made a winning start to the new season with a 2-1 away victory over Espanyol in Jose Mourinho's first match in charge during his second tenure at the club. The win was sealed in the 90th minute by debutant Carlos Espi, who came off the bench to convert from a scramble in the box.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for Real Madrid with a header from Arda Guler's free-kick. However, Espanyol leveled in the 30th minute when Alex Calatrava finished accurately from Javi Hernandez's cross.
Mourinho returned to lead Real Madrid after a 13-year absence, tasked with reviving a team in turmoil and ending Barcelona's dominance in La Liga.
In this match, Mourinho deployed a strong lineup featuring Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Bellingham, alongside new signings Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries, and Ibrahima Konate. He also gave second-half run-outs to record-signing Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella.
Despite controlling the game, Real Madrid struggled against a resolute Espanyol defense. Goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic made an excellent save from Mbappe's effort, while Federico Valverde hit the post late on. Ultimately, it was Espi, the least-heralded of Real Madrid's summer acquisitions, who became the hero with the decisive goal.
Elsewhere, Sevilla won 3-1 at Athletic Bilbao, while Valencia and Celta Vigo played out a goalless draw.
