Real Madrid strike late to give José Mourinho winning returnESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsAug 22, 2026, 05:38 PM ET
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José Mourinho’s second spell in charge of Real Madrid got off to a winning start, thanks to new signing Carlos Espí’s 90th-minute goal to snatch a 2-1 victory at Espanyol.
The Portuguese coach, taking charge of Madrid for the first time in 13 years after being reappointed for a second time this summer, looked set to endure a frustrating start to the LaLiga season.
“I think we deserved to win. But Espanyol didn’t deserve to lose,” Mourinho told reporters. “In the second half we had good control, pressure, we risked a lot, we deserved to win.”
After England midfielder Jude Bellingham put Madrid into a ninth-minute lead in Barcelona, Cala put the hosts level on the half-hour mark.
Carlos Espí celebrates with José Mourinho after scoring Real Madrid’s winning goal against Espanyol. David Ramos/Getty ImagesBut as the clock ticked toward stoppage time, Espí pounced after Kylian Mbappé had been knocked off the ball, firing past Marko Dmitrovic to get his first Madrid goal just 10 minutes after entering the game as a substitute.
The 21-year-old Espí was one of the standouts of LaLiga last season and Madrid reportedly paid Levante €25 million ($28 million) to sign him. Saturday’s goal was his 11th in LaLiga since Feb. 27, the most by any player in the league in that span.
“He’s living a dream but he doesn’t work like someone on the moon, he works a lot for the team,” Mourinho reported. “The goal decides everything.”
Mourinho also handed starting debuts to Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva — the first time Madrid have started three debutantes in their opening LaLiga game since 2009, when Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema made their bows.
Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, who joined Madrid from RB Leipzig as the club’s biggest summer signing for an initial €125 million ($146 million), made his debut as a second-half replacement for Arda Güler in the 64th minute.
Bellingham had earlier made his mark by heading in a free kick from Güler on what was his first start and just his second appearance since helping England take third place in the World Cup five weeks ago.
“I had doubts whether to start him or bring him on. I don’t know if I did the right thing starting him, but physically and mentally he’s very strong,” Mourinho reported of Bellingham. “For me this is his position, the connection with the forwards, he can score goals, he has to play close to the goal.
“Playing at 6 or 8 we’re losing his closeness to the goal. I like this Jude, in top physical condition, he works for 90 minutes of quality.”
ESPN’s Alex Kirkland and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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