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Real Madrid were far from their sharpest in their 2026–27 La Liga season opener, yet they still managed to claim all three points against Espanyol on Saturday.
José Mourinho launched his second spell at the helm with a 2–1 win at the RCDE Stadium, courtesy of goals from Jude Bellingham and Carlos Espí. The England star nodded home a commanding header in the ninth minute before Los Blancos' most underappreciated summer addition sealed the victory in the dying moments of normal time.
Real Madrid transformed what could have been a disappointing 1–1 stalemate into a late triumph, sparing Mourinho and his side from a wave of criticism... or nearly so. Glaring issues remained evident across the pitch for the 15-time European champions, and patience has worn dangerously thin following two seasons without silverware.
As is always the case with Real Madrid, the marquee names—on the field, on the bench, and on the sideline—gave supporters plenty to discuss.
Carlos Espí Outshines His Fellow Debutants
All six of Real Madrid's new recruits made their competitive debuts on Saturday. Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konaté were handed starting berths by Mourinho, while Yan Diomande, Marc Cucurella and Espí were introduced from the bench in the second period.
Among the summer arrivals, Espí was the one who came with the least hype surrounding him. Los Blancos activated the striker's $28.8 million (€25 million) release clause to bring him to the Bernabéu, where he entered as third choice behind Kylian Mbappé and Endrick.
Nevertheless, Espí quietly made an impression during preseason and climbed Mourinho's pecking order when Endrick picked up a muscular problem ahead of the league curtain-raiser. The Spaniard enhanced his reputation further against Espanyol, slotting home a composed match-winner just 10 minutes after stepping onto the pitch.
Espí left the RCDE Stadium as the hero of the hour, while several of his fellow summer additions barely registered. Perhaps the most overlooked of all, however, remains Endrick.
Vinícius Jr Falls Spectacuarly Flat
Vinícius Jr dominated the Spanish headlines for much of the summer, embroiled in a prolonged standoff with Real Madrid over his contract situation. The Brazilian eventually got what he wanted, penning a six-year renewal just days after rejoining the squad following the 2026 World Cup.
It was a preseason to forget for Vinícius Jr, who failed to register a single goal contribution across three appearances. Three uninspiring friendly outings barely set off alarm bells, but Saturday's performance certainly did.
Every weakness in Vinícius Jr's game was exposed in Catalonia. Within the opening minutes of the La Liga clash, Jude Bellingham was already shouting at him to press. He then spent large portions of the first half on the turf, brought down either by Espanyol defenders or by his own doing.
Little improved after the interval. Vinícius Jr was dispossessed far too easily when driving forward, and his intentions were predictable—repeatedly attempting to beat multiple defenders down the left with a flashy stepover or dribble that was comfortably dealt with by players in blue and white.
By the time the referee blew the final whistle, Vinícius Jr had not created a single chance, managed just one shot and completed a mere 10 passes across 90 minutes. It remains a mystery why Mourinho allowed him to see out the full game.
Mourinho's Substitutions Almost Cost Real Madrid
Mourinho had already raised eyebrows by leaving Diomande and Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his starting eleven on Saturday, and his puzzling substitution decisions only added to the controversy.
The Portuguese manager withdrew Arda Güler—the team's standout performer and most creative force on the night—in the 64th minute, replacing him with Diomande. In just over an hour on the pitch, Güler had created a match-high seven chances, contributed one assist and misplaced only three passes.
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The Turkish midfielder had been completely controlling the game, yet Mourinho still chose to hook him before any of his other outfield players. The team's creativity and invention dropped off sharply once Güler was removed, allowing Espanyol to comfortably stifle Real Madrid as the clock ticked down.
What made Mourinho's call even harder to comprehend was his reluctance to introduce Alexander-Arnold. Los Blancos were crying out for a goal, desperately needing someone to conjure something special after Diomande and Cucurella's introductions failed to unlock the Espanyol defence.
Yet Mourinho held off until the 80th minute before bringing on one of his squad's most gifted playmakers. The gamble ultimately did not backfire, but had Espí not rescued the result, Mourinho would have faced a barrage of criticism once the final whistle sounded.