Mourinho starts his era with a win
Real Madrid secured a 2-1 La Liga victory over RCD Espanyol in their season opener, with Carlos Espi deciding the match in the 90th minute. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the first 15 minutes, but Alex Calatrava equalized in the 30th after a fine team move. Mourinho praised his team's effort, stating, 'We deserved to win but Espanyol didn't deserve to lose'.
Systematic pressure on Vinicius
The manager criticized the way Espanyol pressured Vinicius, describing a 'systematic' approach that included fouls and yellow cards. 'Vini isn't a saint, but what they do to him is too much,' Mourinho said, highlighting the Brazilian's struggles throughout the match. The forward failed to convert his chances, while Mbappe, despite his presence, was ineffective in the box.
Espi's goal and the team's reaction
In the final 25 minutes, Mourinho introduced Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella to seek a winner. Espanyol resisted until the end, but a defensive error allowed Espi to capitalize on a loose ball and score the 2-1. 'What we conceded was a gut-punch, because we worked hard until the end,' Calatrava said, who scored the equalizer.
