Jose Mourinho’s second tenure in charge of Real Madrid got underway with late drama as Los Blancos ground out a 2-1 opening-weekend LaLiga victory over Espanyol. The Spanish giants struck early in their new domestic campaign when Jude Bellingham finished off a slick pass from Arda Guler, scoring Real Madrid’s first official goal of the season. Espanyol refused to yield, pushing the visitors into a demanding tactical battle before substitute Carlos Espi delivered the decisive blow. Firing home his first senior goal for Real Madrid late in the second half, Espi ensured Mourinho marked his highly anticipated league return with three vital points.
Deploying Bellingham in an advanced position paid immediate dividends, though Mourinho admitted after the final whistle that he wasn’t entirely certain about starting the midfielder. Mourinho praised the England international’s physical and mental strength, making it clear that keeping him near the penalty box is central to his tactical philosophy. The Portuguese coach emphasized that playing Bellingham as a six or an eight deprives the team of his crucial attacking instinct, insisting he must remain deployed close to the opposition goal to maximize his goalscoring threat.
Beyond the tactical tweaks, officiating emerged as a primary talking point following the tight encounter. While Espanyol head coach Manolo González voiced strong frustration regarding key decisions, Mourinho publicly backed the performance of the referee. The Madrid manager highlighted that the game moved at a clean tempo without long VAR stoppages keeping the entire stadium waiting, commending the officials for letting the action flow continuously despite the high stakes on the pitch.
Madrid’s late triumph caps an intense opening slate of action across Europe. In southern Spain, Real Betis also opened their LaLiga account on a winning note, edging Real Sociedad 1-0. Meanwhile in France, Marseille launched their Ligue 1 campaign with a statement 4-0 thrashing of ten-man Strasbourg, powered by a brace from Amine Gouiri. For Mourinho and Madrid, emerging from a tricky away trip with a late winner provides the ideal momentum as the new season gathers speed.
