Real Madrid faces Espanyol in LaLiga after postponed opener
Real Madrid’s LaLiga start
Real Madrid is set to play Espanyol in the second round of LaLiga. This match marks their first of the season, as their initial opening-round fixture against Real Sociedad was postponed.
The encounter brings together a Real Madrid side under Jose Mourinho, who has a notable record against Espanyol, and an Espanyol team with a striker in strong form.
Player performances and historical matchups
Vinícius Júnior enters the match with confidence, having frequently scored against the Catalan club. According to Opta statistics, Vinícius has scored 5 goals in 11 matches against Espanyol in LaLiga. Of these, 3 goals were scored during his six visits to the RCDE Stadium, which is the venue for the current game. No other team in the competition has conceded more away goals to the Brazilian player. He has also scored 3 goals apiece at three other grounds.
For Espanyol, striker Roberto Fernández has shown recent scoring prowess. He has netted 3 goals in his last two LaLiga matches, which is more than he achieved in his previous 22 appearances in the competition. This tally includes his second league brace, which he scored in the last round against Levante.
The match also highlights the managerial records of both clubs. Jose Mourinho has an unbeaten record against Espanyol in LaLiga during his first tenure with Real Madrid, having gone six matches without defeat. During this period, he secured four wins and two draws. No other opponent in the competition has seen Mourinho go unbeaten across as many games, though he also has a record of six matches unbeaten against five other sides.
In contrast, Espanyol coach Manolo González has a less favourable record against Real Madrid in LaLiga. He has lost 3 of his 4 matches against them, with only a single win. Only Barcelona and Villarreal have defeated him more often in the competition, with four defeats apiece. Real Betis has also beaten his teams three times.
Match action and key moments
In the match itself, Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 9th minute. A sensational free-kick whipped in by Arda Guler from the left side found Bellingham, who headed the ball past Marko Dmitrovic in the Espanyol goal.
Despite the early lead, Espanyol demonstrated resilience. There were moments when Espanyol threatened Real Madrid’s goal. Roberto Fernandez had an opportunity from a cross, but his header went into the ground instead of towards the goal. Later, Clemens Riedel launched a dipping shot that tested Thibaut Courtois, and Edu Exposito sent a shot over the bar.
Real Madrid also continued to create chances. Kylian Mbappe showed impressive footwork, dancing towards the penalty area and skipping past defenders, though his attempted through ball to Arda Guler was cleared. Mbappe also had a low shot blocked by Marko Dmitrovic’s legs after Espanyol’s goal sparked Real Madrid back into action. Denzel Dumfries also made a run onto an Arda Guler through ball, but Dmitrovic blocked his low cross with his legs.
The match saw Arda Guler involved in multiple attacking plays, including flicking the ball away from a defender and lobbing it to Kylian Mbappe, who couldn’t get a shot on target as Dmitrovic came off his line to challenge him. The opening goal by Jude Bellingham marked the start of the second Jose Mourinho era at Real Madrid.
Source: bbc.com
Priya Menon 