Mourinho's Dramatic Return: Real Madrid's Late Win Against Espanyol

José Mourinho’s Real Madrid return began exactly the way he likes it: with late drama, a decisive punch, and three points.

Carlos Espí, 90th minute. Game broken. Espanyol 1, Real Madrid 2.

Back on a LaLiga touchline with Madrid for the first time in 13 years, Mourinho spent most of the evening staring at a familiar problem — dominance without a killer edge — before his new striker arrived to rip the script apart in Barcelona.

Bellingham strikes, Espanyol answer

The night had started smoothly enough. Just nine minutes in, Jude Bellingham, starting his first league game of the season, drifted into the box and did what he has made look routine. Arda Güler whipped in a free kick, Bellingham attacked it, and his header put Madrid in front.

Fresh from helping England to third place at the World Cup only five weeks ago, the midfielder looked anything but rusty. Mourinho had wrestled with the decision to start him.

"I had doubts whether to start him or bring him on. I don't know if I did the right thing starting him, but physically and mentally he's very strong," Mourinho admitted later. For him, there is no debate about Bellingham’s role. "For me this is his position, with his connection with the forwards, he can score goals. He has to play close to the goal. Playing at No. 6 or No. 8, we're losing his closeness to the goal. I like this Jude, in top physical condition, he works for 90 minutes of quality."

The early lead didn’t last. Espanyol refused to play the part of opening-day victims. On the half-hour, Álex Calatrava levelled, and from there the game tightened, Madrid pushing, Espanyol biting back, the tension slowly rising.

Mourinho’s side controlled more of the second half, squeezed higher, took more risks. The chances came without the finish. The clock kept moving.

"I think we deserved to win. But Espanyol didn't deserve to lose," Mourinho said. "In the second half we had good control, pressure, we risked a lot, we deserved to win."

Espí’s instant impact

Then came Espí.

Signed from Levante this summer for a reported €25 million, the 21-year-old arrived in Madrid as one of LaLiga’s form forwards. Since Feb. 27, no player in the league has scored more than his 11 goals. Ten minutes after stepping off the bench, he showed exactly why the club moved for him.

With the game drifting toward stoppage time, Kylian Mbappé was knocked off the ball on the edge of the area. The loose ball fell to Espí. One touch, one ruthless finish past Marko Dmitrovic. First goal for Real Madrid. First decisive moment in a white shirt.

"The goal decides everything," Mourinho said. He was just as keen to underline the work behind the finish. "He's living a dream but he doesn't work like someone on the moon, he works a lot for the team."

Espanyol, who had fought and harried all night, were floored. Madrid, who had flirted with frustration, walked away with exactly what Mourinho demands: victory, no excuses.

A new-look Madrid under an old face

This was not just about one late goal. It was a first real look at a remodelled Madrid under a very familiar manager.

Mourinho started three debutants — Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva — something the club had not done in an opening LaLiga game since 2009, when Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema all made their first league appearances for Madrid.

The biggest signing of the summer, Yan Diomande, had to wait his turn. The Ivory Coast winger, brought in from RB Leipzig for an initial €125 million, came on in the 64th minute for Güler, another piece added to an already fearsome attacking puzzle.

Pieces, options, profiles. Mourinho now has plenty of them. On Saturday night, it took until the 90th minute for that depth to tell.

The win gives his second spell in charge the start he wanted, but the tone he set afterward was classic Mourinho: demanding, sharp, never fully satisfied. Madrid host Real Sociedad at the Bernabéu on Wednesday, their first home game of the season.

The welcome is guaranteed. The margin for error, as ever under Mourinho, is not.