Mbappe's Red-Hot Streak Powers Real Madrid to Commanding 2-0 Triumph Over Espanyol
Real Madrid inflicted Espanyol's first loss of the campaign, claiming a 2–0 triumph courtesy of spectacular long-distance strikes from Éder Militão and Kylian Mbappé.
Following another European comeback just four days prior, Real Madrid returned to their Santiago Bernabéu fortress aiming to maintain their flawless 2025–26 record. Manager Xabi Alonso chose to field Raúl Asencio in lieu of the banned Dean Huijsen, while Dani Carvajal replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold in the lineup.
Real Madrid's improvised defensive line faced early pressure from Espanyol but remained resolute until the home side seized control of proceedings. Manolo González's squad found themselves trapped in their defensive third as Los Blancos methodically searched for weaknesses in their opponents' compact defensive structure.
The decisive moment arrived through an unexpected hero in Militão. The Brazilian defender collected a seemingly innocuous pass from Fede Valverde before unleashing a thunderous right-footed shot from 30 yards that nestled perfectly into the top left corner, giving Real Madrid a 1–0 advantage in the 22nd minute.
Mbappé came close to extending Los Blancos' advantage just before the interval, but the French striker squandered a golden chance, clearly frustrated by his wayward attempt. He redeemed himself merely two minutes after the restart, delivering a spectacular long-range effort to register his seventh strike of the campaign.
The goal originated from Vinícius Júnior's electrifying surge down the left wing. The 25-year-old Brazilian will rue hitting the frame of the goal later in the contest, but he'll be satisfied with providing an assist after Alonso benched him against Marseille.
Despite no additional goals for Real Madrid, the white-clad supporters at the Santiago Bernabéu had reason to celebrate in the match's final moments. Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga made their seasonal debuts, both recovering from extended injury layoffs.
The three points against Espanyol saw Real Madrid maintain their perfect six-game winning run in 2025–26, solidifying their position at the summit of the La Liga table.
Review Real Madrid's individual performances from the triumph below.
Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Espanyol (4-4-2)
*Ratings provided by FotMob*
Position / Player | Ratings (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
GK: Thibaut Courtois | 7.8 |
RB: Dani Carvajal | 7.8 |
CB: Raúl Asencio | 7.4 |
CB: Éder Militão | 8.6 |
LB: Álvaro Carreras | 8.1 |
RM: Franco Mastantuono | 7.8 |
CM: Fede Valverde | 8.5 |
CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni | 7.5 |
LM: Vinícius Júnior | 8.2 |
ST: Gonzalo García | 6.6 |
ST: Kylian Mbappé | 8.3 |
SUB: Arda Güler (60' for García) | 6.9 |
SUB: Rodrygo (77' for Vinícius Júnior) | 6 |
SUB: Brahim Díaz (77' for Mastantuono) | 6 |
SUB: Jude Bellingham (89' for Mbappé) | N/A |
SUB: Eduardo Camavinga (89' for Tchouaméni) | N/A |
Subs not used: Andriy Lunin (GK), Sergio Mestre (GK), David Alaba, David Jiménez, Fran García, Dani Ceballos, Endrick.
Player of the Match: Éder Militão
Espanyol (4-2-3-1): Marko Dmitrović; Omar El Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero; Urko González de Zárate, Pol Lozano; Javier Puado, Tyrhys Dolan; Edu Expósito, Roberto Fernández.
Subs: Jofre Carreras, Charles Pickel, Luca Koleosho, Kike García, Antoniu Roca.