Real Madrid Proves Depth Runs Deep: Cruises Past Espanyol 2-0 Despite Missing Key Defenders
Real Madrid maintained their flawless beginning to the 2025–26 campaign, easily defeating Espanyol 2–0 at the Santiago Bernabéu.
What was expected to be a tight contest between La Liga's first and third-placed sides became a commanding display from Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso's squad never appeared to doubt securing all three points, which were eventually clinched through spectacular long-distance strikes from Éder Militão and Kylian Mbappé.
The triumph extended Los Blancos' unbeaten run to six games in all competitions. It also maintains Real Madrid's firm grip on top of the La Liga table with a Valencia away fixture approaching in just three days.
Here are three key observations from Real Madrid's win.
Xabi Alonso's Forward Experiment Proves Unsuccessful
Alonso persisted with his pattern of shuffling Real Madrid's attacking lineup, this time selecting Gonzalo García to partner Mbappé. The emerging talent from the FIFA Club World Cup had not featured as a starter this season, accumulating merely 19 minutes across all competitions in 2025–26 before Saturday's encounter.
The choice proved puzzling, particularly given the manager's acknowledgment that deploying Mbappé, Gonzalo and Vinícius Júnior together in the Club World Cup semifinals contributed to Real Madrid's defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.
Two months following the unsuccessful trial in the United States, the trio of attackers reunited on the field with similarly disappointing results. Gonzalo specifically found it difficult to make an impact; the Spanish player generated no scoring opportunities, attempted no shots and recorded only two touches inside Espanyol's penalty area.
While Gonzalo contributed effectively to Real Madrid's pressing when possession was lost, the 21-year-old otherwise remained invisible during the Santiago Bernabéu encounter. Alonso might have been wiser to deploy Franco Mastantuono as an attacking midfielder and select Rodrygo as the striker if he wished to experiment with a different formation without Arda Güler available.
Real Madrid's Improvised Defense Stands Strong
Concerns existed regarding Real Madrid's defensive setup before facing Manolo González's team, who entered the match having scored eight goals in four games. Missing the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold and suspended Dean Huijsen, Dani Carvajal and Raúl Asencio completed Alonso's defensive line.
Despite the defensive reshuffle, Los Blancos successfully contained Espanyol, restricting the visitors to merely one shot on target throughout 90 minutes. Real Madrid also became the inaugural team to achieve a shutout against the Catalans this season.
Éder Militão merits significant praise; the center-back not only excelled in his defensive duties but also netted the decisive goal with a bold long-range effort. Meanwhile, Asencio, Carvajal and Álvaro Carreras executed their responsibilities flawlessly, making virtually no errors at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Real Madrid's defensive excellence will provide tremendous confidence for Alonso, who must cope without Alexander-Arnold, Ferland Mendy and Antonio Rüdiger for the coming period. The afternoon's sole casualty was David Alaba; the Austrian will struggle to secure playing time following Asencio's impressive showing.
The Puzzling Situation of Vinicius Junior
Following his omission in favor of Rodrygo during Tuesday's Champions League match, Vinícius Júnior regained his place in Real Madrid's starting eleven on Saturday. The Brazilian has enjoyed considerable success against Espanyol recently, recording three goals and two assists in his previous five encounters with the Catalan club.
However, Vinícius Júnior endured a disappointing opening period, characterized by failed dribbling attempts along the left flank. The 25-year-old appeared overly determined in his approach, insisting on beating Espanyol's defense despite consistently facing multiple defenders. He occasionally moved to the right wing seeking greater involvement in attacks, again without notable success.
The match transformed into contrasting halves for Vinícius Júnior. The winger eventually overcame Omar El Hilali, utilizing his pace and technical skills to set up Mbappé's goal in the 47th minute. The partnership between the two stars appeared to energize Vinícius Júnior, who subsequently created the most scoring chances in the match and struck the crossbar before Alonso substituted him in the 77th minute.
The Brazilian still lost nine individual battles against Espanyol, more than any other player, but his second-half display compensated for his disappointing initial 45 minutes. Whether this performance was sufficient for Alonso to restore Vinícius Júnior's permanent left-wing position, or if the Brazilian must continue fighting for his starting role, remains uncertain.