For his return to the Real Madrid bench, José Mourinho got the essential result: a 2-1 victory away at Espanyol. But behind the three points, this first outing already reveals a few areas to work on, particularly in the attacking play.
Bellingham-Güler, the standout performers
Real had nonetheless started strongly. As early as the 9th minute, Jude Bellingham opened the scoring with a header from an Arda Güler cross.
The young Turk was one of the most interesting Madrid players in open play, regularly combining with Bellingham. The duo brought pace and creativity in the early part of the match.
Mbappé present, but not yet incisive
Kylian Mbappé did start the match. The Frenchman looked dangerous in the first half, notably with several bursts of pace and chances. EFE even points out that he was one of Real's main attacking drivers after the equaliser.
But he lacked that final touch. After the break, his influence faded and he sometimes tried to make the difference alone.
It should be qualified, though: Mbappé was far from anonymous. In fact, it was after an action in which he lost the ball that Real eventually won back the situation that led to the winning goal, scored by Carlos Espí.
Vinicius still far from his best level
For Vinicius Junior, the assessment is more mixed. The Brazilian had much less impact on the attacking play. His lack of rhythm and precision was noticeable, with limited influence in the areas where he usually makes the difference.
This raises a first question for Mourinho: how to make Mbappé, Vinicius and Bellingham work together? For now, the understanding between the two forwards is not yet natural. Reuters specifically notes a lack of rhythm and connection between Mbappé and Vinicius, both of whom returned late from holiday after the World Cup.
Carlos Espí, the substitute who changes Real's profile
Mourinho eventually found his solution on the bench. Coming on in the 80th minute, young Carlos Espí scored ten minutes later to hand Real the three points. The 21-year-old forward capitalised on a loose ball following a Mbappé move to register his first official goal for Madrid.
This is not entirely a surprise: Espí had already scored during the 3-0 pre-season win over Schalke.
His profile differs from that of Mbappé or Vinicius: taller, more powerful, more oriented towards play inside the box. He can therefore offer Mourinho a solution when Real need to break down a packed defence.
Three points, but plenty of work
Real Madrid leave Barcelona with a valuable win. But Mourinho probably knows that his side will need to improve quickly.
- Bellingham and Güler showed encouraging signs.
- Mbappé and Vinicius still need to find their rhythm and their understanding.
- Carlos Espí has already shown that he can be more than just a substitute.
Real win. But the new Mourinho is still building his team.
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