Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 2-1 at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona as substitute Carlos Espí scored a 90th-minute winning goal on his debut.
Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 10th minute before Cala equalized for Espanyol on 30 minutes, setting up a tense finish in José Mourinho's first official match back in charge.
The victory gave Real Madrid their first three points of the LaLiga EA Sports season after their scheduled opening fixture against Real Sociedad was postponed to August 26. Espanyol entered the contest following a 3-0 victory against Levante in their opening match.
Mourinho handed starts to summer signings Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konaté, and Bernardo Silva, while fellow new arrivals Marc Cucurella, Yan Diomande, and Espí were introduced off the bench in the second half.
Real Madrid took control early, with Arda Güler pressing high to win possession in the opening minute. Tensions flared in the third minute when Cala kicked Vinícius Júnior in the back while the forward was on the ground. Referee José María Sánchez Martínez awarded a foul for the initial challenge but chose not to issue a card for the kick.
The visiting side capitalized on their early dominance in the 10th minute when Güler delivered a precise free kick from the left wing. Bellingham met the cross with a powerful header past goalkeeper Stole Dimitrovic to make it 0-1. Mourinho celebrated the goal by shaking hands with his coaching staff.
With that header, Bellingham became the only player to score at least one headed goal in each of the past four LaLiga campaigns. Real Madrid almost doubled their lead five minutes later when Güler broke down the right and sent in a dangerous cross-shot that Kylian Mbappé narrowly failed to connect with before Espanyol cleared.
Espanyol comeback and mid-game disruption
The momentum shifted in the 22nd minute when Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen suffered a facial injury in a collision with Javi Hernández and left the pitch bleeding. The visitors were temporarily reduced to 10 men, forcing Álvaro Carreras into central defense, Bernardo Silva to left back, and Vinícius into a deeper defensive role.
Espanyol took advantage of the temporary numerical imbalance to create chances. Riedel tested Thibaut Courtois with a long-range effort before Edu Expósito sent the rebound wide of the target.
The host team drew level in the 30th minute after Javi Hernández advanced down the left flank and set up Cala inside the penalty area. Cala finished past Courtois to score his first goal of the match and make it 1-1.
Physical clashes continued two minutes later, resulting in referee Sánchez Martínez issuing double yellow cards to both Cala and Vinícius following another confrontation between the two players.
Real Madrid attempted to respond before half-time as Mbappé cut inside from the left wing and forced a save from Dimitrovic, with Dumfries firing the secondary effort over the bar. Espanyol nearly took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Omar El Hilali crossed to Roberto, who failed to connect cleanly in front of goal.
Second-half pressure and tactical changes
The second half began with renewed controversy in the 46th minute when Cala challenged Carreras late. Real Madrid players demanded a second yellow card for the Espanyol goalscorer, but the referee declined to send him off.
Real Madrid created multiple set-piece opportunities as they searched for a second goal. Dimitrovic produced a reflex save to deny a Bellingham header in the 53rd minute, and five minutes later the goalkeeper caught another header from Konaté following a Güler corner.
Mourinho reshuffled his side in the 64th minute, bringing on Cucurella and Diomande to replace Carreras and Güler. The home crowd at the RCDE Stadium applauded Cucurella as he entered the field.
Espanyol manager Manolo González responded with changes of his own, replacing Cala and Riedel with Drkusic and Rafel Bauzà in the 68th minute, before introducing Pol Lozano and Pere Milla for Javi Hernández and Jurko on 75 minutes.
Real Madrid came close to regaining the lead in the 77th minute when Federico Valverde struck the post with a long-range strike. Two minutes later, Mourinho made a triple substitution, introducing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eduardo Camavinga, and Espí in place of Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, and Bellingham.
Carlos Espí scores late winner
The decisive moment arrived in the 90th minute. Diomande combined with Mbappé on the right wing, allowing the French forward to dribble into the penalty box. After Mbappé lost possession following a challenge by an Espanyol defender, Espí reacted quickest in the six-yard box to turn the loose ball into the net.
The 1-2 goal capped a memorable debut for Espí, who joined Real Madrid from Levante this summer after former academy striker Gonzalo transferred to Fulham. Espí had played just ten minutes before scoring the match-winner.
Espanyol substitute Pol Lozano received a yellow card in the third minute of stoppage time, and the final whistle confirmed Real Madrid's 2-1 victory after four added minutes.
Post-match manager and player reactions
Speaking after the match, Mourinho said that he was very pleased with Espí, describing him as a funny person who currently lives at the Valdebebas training ground alongside himself, his staff, and Cucurella. He noted that Espí's name emerged as a target when Gonzalo departed for Fulham, praising the young forward's hold-up play and teamwork.
Mourinho also addressed the physical treatment received by Vinícius, stating that targeted fouls against the Brazilian appeared premeditated. He remarked that modern society opposes bullying yet permits it against Vinícius on the pitch, adding that he had advised the forward to maintain emotional composure during matches.
Analyzing the performance, Mourinho acknowledged that Real Madrid deserved the win while Espanyol did not deserve to lose given their defensive effort. He noted that his squad still required match fitness to execute his preferred pressing style but praised the team's heart and determination.
Goalkeeper Courtois revealed that he calls Espí Joselu Junior due to his physical strength during training duels against Antonio Rüdiger and Konaté. Courtois also commented that opposing teams who complain online should look in the mirror, asserting that Cala should have been sent off during the match. Addressing Rodri's career choices, Courtois stated that every player's decision must be respected.
Espanyol perspective and officiating debate
Espanyol manager Manolo González explained that he substituted his booked players because he lacked confidence in how the refereeing would handle players on yellow cards against Real Madrid. He expressed frustration at conceding from a late set piece and claimed that a five-second restriction on restarts was applied strictly to his team only.
Prior to kickoff, González had praised Mourinho as one of the best managers in football history while acknowledging that Real Madrid possessed greater tactical depth than last season following the signings of Diomande and Espí.
Espanyol goalscorer Cala stated that his altercations with Vinícius were standard occurrences in football that remain on the pitch. He added that Espanyol executed their game plan well and expressed disappointment at surrendering the match late due to a lapse in concentration.
Before the game, new signing Diomande told reporters that he felt no pressure regarding his transfer fee and was prepared to give everything for Mourinho. Referee Sánchez Martínez also spoke pre-match, stating that new officiating directives aimed to create faster, more dynamic matches with fewer stoppages.
