Real Madrid secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium in their La Liga season opener under Jose Mourinho. The Madrid side took an early lead through Jude Bellingham’s ninth-minute strike, but the hosts equalized before halftime when Alex Calatrava found the back of the net in the 30th minute. The match remained finely balanced until the closing stages, when substitute Carlos Espi struck the decisive goal in the 90th minute to seal three points for the visiting side.
In terms of individual performances, two players stood out with ratings of 8/10. Bellingham delivered a potent attacking display that included both his opening goal and a constant threat throughout the match, while Arda Guler impressed with his creative play, providing crucial assists for his teammates. Federico Valverde also contributed significantly with a 7.5/10 rating, maintaining a strong influence across both defensive and attacking phases of play.
The remainder of the squad produced competent performances, with several defenders including Ibrahima Konate earning 7/10. Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior both worked hard in the final third but failed to register on the scoresheet. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, despite making some solid saves, could not prevent Espanyol from breaking through, resulting in a 6.5/10 rating as Los Blancos survived a testing away encounter to begin their campaign victoriously.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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