Real Madrid Beat Espanyol 2-1 with a 90th-Minute Winner on Mourinho's Return

This week saw the kickoff of Europe's biggest leagues, with fiery fixtures involving a host of teams and several matches that stayed tense and hard-fought right up to the final moments.

On Saturday evening, Real Madrid, eager to make amends for last season's disappointment, travelled to face hosts Espanyol, who were looking to launch their league campaign with a strong start. It was a fierce and evenly matched contest: Espanyol proved a stubborn, difficult opponent and kept pace with Real Madrid until the closing minutes.

Real Madrid were the first to strike, in the ninth minute, through England star Jude Bellingham, who turned an Arda Güler free-kick delivery into a goal with a fine header.

But Espanyol did not surrender, drawing level in the 30th minute through Àlex Calafatra, after a pass from Javi Hernández, to send the sides in level at 1-1 at the break.

In the second half, Real Madrid tried to restore their lead and impose control, but ran into a well-organised defence and an inspired goalkeeper, while Espanyol remained dangerous on the counterattack.

With the game drifting towards a draw, relief arrived for Real Madrid in the 90th minute through substitute Carlos Espí, who pounced on a loose ball inside the box to score the winner and hand coach José Mourinho his first victory on his return to the Real Madrid bench.

Real Madrid did not produce the flawless performance many had expected, but they showed strong character and a determination to win that lasted until the final whistle, collecting their first three points of the league season, which is what matters most at the start of a campaign.