Espi had been on for ten minutes, and his 90th-minute goal won Mourinho’s first league game back

Jose Mourinho got the result on his first league night back at Real Madrid, and he had to wait until the 90th minute for it. Carlos Espi, on as a substitute ten minutes earlier and playing his first match for the club, forced in a loose ball from close range to beat Espanyol 2-1 at the RCDE Stadium on Saturday.

It is 13 years since Mourinho’s first spell in charge of Real Madrid ended by mutual agreement. He was appointed for a second time in June, and Real started this La Liga season six days after most of the division. One game, three points, and a fairly uncomfortable evening in Barcelona.

Bellingham scored early and Dmitrovic did the rest

Jude Bellingham headed Real in front in the ninth minute, climbing above the Espanyol defence to meet an Arda Guler free-kick. Thibaut Courtois then had to be alert at the other end, keeping out a low drive from Clemens Riedel, and for a while it looked like Espanyol were simply going to be pinned back and picked off.

They were not. Play stopped so a cut above Dean Huijsen’s left eye could be treated, Espanyol used the break to settle, and on the half hour Javi Hernandez pulled the ball back for Alex Calatrava to finish. Roberto Fernandez should have made it 2-1 before the interval and headed wide with the goal open.

Marko Dmitrovic kept the score where it was for most of what followed. He saved Mbappe with his legs, then kept out a low shot from the same player, then flew across to touch away a second Bellingham header from a Guler corner. Mbappe put the rebound wide. Federico Valverde hit a post from outside the box. Ibrahima Konate headed straight at the goalkeeper. Espanyol were into the last minute with a point before it went.

The debutant who won it

Espi is 21 and cost Real Madrid a reported 25 million euros from Levante at the end of July, on a contract to 2031. He scored 11 La Liga goals last season and was voted the division’s best player under 23, so he is not quite the anonymous kid the scoreline implies. Mourinho sent him on for Bellingham in the 80th minute. In the final minute Mbappe was crowded out inside the area, the ball spilled loose, and Espi hammered it in from close range.

Yan Diomande also made his debut, replacing Guler in the 64th minute. The Ivory Coast winger arrived from Leipzig earlier this month in a deal that can rise to 140 million euros, which makes him the more expensive of the two players Mourinho introduced and the one who did not score.

Mourinho on Vinicius: “we’re still in the bullying era”

The other story of the night was Vinicius Junior, who was fouled by Calatrava early on without a card being shown, argued with the same player later, and was booked for it. He clashed with Espanyol players and with the home crowd through the rest of the match.

Mourinho was asked about it afterwards and did not hedge. “Vini isn’t a saint, but what people do to him is too much,” he said. “It’s a frustration for him. He has to have great emotional control.”

He went further on where the frustration comes from. “It’s tough. We’re in a social era of anti-bullying, but with Vini, we’re still in the bullying era, whether it’s from opponents or from the public.”

He had also given Vinicius some practical advice, telling him that “even if you score a goal, be careful how you celebrate, to stay on the pitch.” That is a manager backing his player in public and warning him in the same breath, which is a trick Mourinho has been doing for a long time.

Espanyol finished 11th last season under Manolo Gonzalez and have three points from their opening two games. A big RCDE Stadium crowd watched them lose this one in the last minute. Real Madrid are at home to Real Sociedad on Wednesday.

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