Real Madrid got their first La Liga win of the season at Espanyol, but they had to work for it. Jude Bellingham gave Los Blancos an early lead in Barcelona, Cala pulled the hosts level, and then Carlos Espi came off the bench to score the decisive goal 10 minutes into his debut appearance.
That made for a dramatic opening league game for Real Madrid, who were in their second spell under Jose Mourinho. Espanyol, who had beaten Levante in their season opener, pushed the visitors all the way and kept the contest alive until the closing stages, with four added minutes only adding to the tension.
Espi makes an immediate impact
The standout moment belonged to Carlos Espi. The 21-year-old striker, signed for £21m, arrived from the bench and found the winner almost immediately, settling a game that had been finely balanced after Cala’s equaliser.
For Real Madrid, that is exactly the kind of contribution that can change an early-season picture. It was not a dominant display, and the scoreline suggests Espanyol were well in the contest, but the result will matter to Los Blancos because it delivered the opening league points just about when they needed them.
A narrow win, but a valuable one
There is still plenty to settle in the broader Espanyol vs Real Madrid standings discussion, but this was the kind of result that can shape momentum quickly. Real Madrid found a way through, and that is often the most important thing at this stage of the season.
Espanyol will take some encouragement from the performance, particularly after responding to Bellingham’s opener, but Real Madrid leave with the points and the early advantage. The key question now is whether Jose Mourinho’s side can build on this win, or whether it was simply a hard-fought escape on a difficult night in Barcelona.
