Mourinho Opens His Second Real Madrid Era With a Dramatic Win Over Espanyol
Barcelona – Special
Real Madrid snatched a hard-fought 2-1 win away at Espanyol on Saturday night at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, in Matchday 2 of the 2026-27 La Liga season — a fixture with special significance as it marked José Mourinho's first official test on the "Merengue" bench in his second spell in charge of the Spanish giants.
The result gave "The Special One" a winning start to his new chapter, following a turbulent spell for the club's technical staff this season: Xabi Alonso was sacked in January after just 233 days in charge, replaced on an interim basis by Álvaro Arbeloa, before the club's management settled on bringing back Mourinho to lead the team again more than a decade after he last managed at the Santiago Bernabéu.
A Dramatic Script Down to the Final Minute
Real Madrid could not have asked for a better start, as Jude Bellingham opened the scoring early in the 9th minute with a precise header, converting a cross from teammate Arda Güler to give his side an early advantage in front of the Espanyol crowd.
The hosts, however, refused to fold, and pulled level through Álex Calatrava, who found the equalizer in the 30th minute after a decisive assist from Javi Hernández, sending the two sides into the break locked at 1-1.
In the second half, Real Madrid kept the initiative and dominated possession. Kylian Mbappé squandered a clear chance just before the interval, superbly denied by the Espanyol goalkeeper, while a powerful strike from Federico Valverde crashed off the post in the 78th minute. The match appeared to be heading for a draw until substitute Carlos Espí delivered the decisive blow deep into stoppage time (90+1), pouncing on defensive confusion inside the Espanyol box to hand Mourinho a perfect victory in his first competitive match back in charge.
Mourinho: "We Came Ready to Win"
Speaking at his pre-match press conference at Ciudad Real Madrid, Mourinho had affirmed his team's full readiness for the challenge: "We are super prepared for what we are going to face. We have studied them as thoroughly as possible," he said, adding: "The match is tough, but tomorrow, when we board the plane, we'll do so with the conviction that we're coming back with the three points."
The Portuguese coach also praised Espanyol and their manager Manolo González, describing the Catalan side as "a good team" with "an experienced coach" running well-organized systems a nod to Espanyol's strong start to the season heading into the match.
Mourinho also addressed his squad's absentees, confirming that Endrick remains unavailable due to a muscle issue, alongside several players still recovering from long-term injuries from last season. He noted that Tchouaméni had returned to full training but was not yet ready to feature, while several academy players were included among the substitutes.
The Standings and What Comes Next
With three points on the board, Real Madrid moved up to fifth place in the table provisionally, having played only one match so far after their Matchday 1 fixture was postponed while Espanyol sit at the bottom with zero points following their first defeat of the season.
Difficult as it was, the win sends a positive signal to Real Madrid's fanbase at the start of Mourinho's new era, amid great anticipation over how he will manage the squad given the high expectations that follow the Spanish giants every season — especially after his own assertion that "finishing a Real Madrid season without trophies is not a successful season."
