Espí Saves Real Madrid in Mourinho Return | MLS News

Real Madrid opened their La Liga campaign with a gritty 2-1 win over Espanyol, thanks to a dramatic late goal from understudy Carlos Espí — who netted just ten minutes after coming on — but the performance was far from flawless. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring, while Espí’s heroics sealed the win, marking his debut as a surprise standout. Six new signings made their mark, including Bernardo Silva and Denzel Dumfries, though Vinícius Jr struggled visibly after contract negotiations, showing rust and failing to create a single meaningful chance. Manager José Mourinho drew criticism for questionable substitutions, notably benching Arda Güler — the night’s standout — and delaying the introduction of Trent Alexander-Arnold. While the three points are a welcome start, the team’s lackluster execution and tactical missteps hint at a long road back to title contention. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6189f92a5f30cee3