Jose Mourinho marked the start of his second managerial tenure at Real Madrid with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium, relying on a 90th-minute winner from substitute striker Carlos Espi to secure all three points.

Bellingham Shines in Central Role

Despite being the last of Real Madrid's 15 World Cup representatives to return to pre-season training, Jude Bellingham was placed right at the heart of Mourinho's plans, starting in the No. 10 role in a 4-2-3-1 setup. The decision pushed Bernardo Silva deeper into the midfield and Arda Guler to the right wing.

The England midfielder justified the selection after just nine minutes, rising to meet a pinpoint free-kick from Guler to head Madrid into the lead. Bellingham remained Madrid's most influential creative and linking presence until fatigue set in during the second half.

“I had doubts about whether to start him or bring him on later,” Mourinho explained after the match. “I don’t know if I made the right decision, but physically and mentally he is very strong. He needs to play close to the goal. When he is in top physical condition, he can give you a complete 90 minutes. We are getting to know each other, and it is better to do that without dropping points.”

Tactical Imbalance and Attacking Struggles

Espanyol drew level on the half-hour mark through Alex Calatrava, exposing defensive vulnerabilities that persisted through the second half. Real Madrid struggled for balance, especially following the introduction of €140 million marquee signing Yan Diomande on the right flank in the 63rd minute.

With Diomande, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Junior all on the pitch, Madrid often found themselves defensively exposed on transitions. Mbappe missed two clear one-on-one opportunities during the match, while Vinicius Junior was frustrated by Espanyol's physical approach, drawing eight fouls.

“He’s not a saint, but what they do to him is too much,” Mourinho said of Vinicius. “It has become a pattern and it happens from one opponent to another. He gets frustrated and he needs to have emotional control. We’re in an era of anti-bullying and, with Vinicius, it’s bullying.”

Madrid's central defensive pairing of Dean Huijsen and Ibrahima Konate proved vital in repelling repeated Espanyol attacks during open transitional phases.

Super-Sub Espi Seals the Win

With the contest heading toward a frustrating stalemate, 21-year-old forward Carlos Espi delivered the decisive moment in the 90th minute. Coming on in the 79th minute for Bellingham, the €25 million summer arrival pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area, rounded goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic, and slotted home.

“Carlos Espi is a beast,” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said. “Seeing him in training going up against Konate, Antonio Rudiger and those guys is impressive. He has talent, he’s very strong and he’s a player we didn’t have in the squad. He’s Joselu Jr, as we call him.”

“The boy is living a dream, but he doesn’t work as if he’s living on another planet. He works very hard,” Mourinho added regarding the young Spanish striker.

Classic Touchline Presence

Mourinho sprung several tactical surprises with his team selection, giving starts to Denzel Dumfries and Alvaro Carreras at full-back ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marc Cucurella. On the sideline, Mourinho was energetic throughout, engaging with fourth official Pablo Monterrubio and reprimanding Federico Valverde on tactical positioning right after celebrating the late winner.

“We deserved to win, but Espanyol didn’t deserve to lose,” Mourinho concluded, acknowledging the work his team still needs to do to achieve tactical cohesion.