Real Madrid had the ball, the shots and the set piece. The winner still took until the 90th minute and a debutant off the bench.
The numbers
| Real Madrid | RCD Espanyol | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 63% | 37% |
| Shots | 21 | 8 |
| xG | 2.71 | 1.05 |
| Touches in opp. box | 37 | 10 |
Result the chances deserved: Real Madrid 72% / 15% / RCD Espanyol 12% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois, Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Carreras, Bernardo Silva, Valverde, Güler, Bellingham, Vinícius Jr, Mbappé.
RCD Espanyol (4-4-2): Dmitrović, El Hilali, Riedel, Núñez, Hinojo, Calatrava, González, Expósito, Dolan, Fernández, Javi Hernández.
RCD Espanyol subs: Drkušić, Bauzà, Lozano, Milla and Jofre Carreras (88') came on; the other minutes are not given in the reports we used. Espanyol manager: Manolo González. This was Madrid's first league game of the season: their Matchday 1 home game against Real Sociedad was played four days later. Line-ups and shapes as listed by FotMob; SI describes Madrid's shape as a 4-3-2-1.
Key moments, move by move
- Güler whips a free kick in from the left side.
- Bellingham rises between the RCD Espanyol centre-backs.
- His header beats Dmitrović. La Grada called the defending too soft, the exact thing the home side had worked on in training.
- RCD Espanyol work the ball patiently from back to front, with Dolan and El Hilali involved (La Grada).
- Javi Hernández speeds up the move and runs into the box on Dumfries's side.
- He slides a low ball across the six-yard area.
- Calatrava, on his league debut, finishes with his left foot past Courtois.
- Diomande starts the move on the right.
- Mbappé forces his way into the box.
- Dolan challenges him and the ball runs loose.
- Espí gets there before Dmitrović and rolls it into the empty net.
Five attackers against two banks of four
- Fast start: Real Madrid's pressure overwhelmed RCD Espanyol's build-up for the first 20 minutes (La Grada), and Bellingham scored from Güler's free kick after nine.
- Plenty of ball, few clear chances: Real Madrid had 63% possession and 21 shots, but SI counted only three big chances and saw no line-breaking passes from midfield. Goal said Valverde was 'invisible' in the double pivot, stuck deep and without his usual runs from midfield.
- The gap behind Dumfries: Dumfries pushed very high (SI), and RCD Espanyol's equaliser came from a patient move finished by Javi Hernández and Calatrava in the space around him. Manolo González said RCD Espanyol's plan held 'until minute 70'.
- The bench decided it: Diomande and Cucurella came on at 64', then Espí, Camavinga and Alexander-Arnold at 80'. Real Madrid allowed one shot worth 0.09 xG after half-time (beIN, Opta), and Espí's only chance was the best of the match (0.75 xG).
Recreate it in FM26
Real Madrid · Mourinho's 4-2-3-1 against a low block · 4-2-3-1Show cardHide card
Mourinho's 4-2-3-1 against a low block
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Courtois | Goalkeeper | Line-Holding Keeper |
| RB | Dumfries | Wing-Back | Pressing Full-Back |
| RCB | Konaté | Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LCB | Huijsen | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LB | Carreras | Full-Back | Holding Full-Back |
| RDM | Bernardo Silva | Deep-Lying Playmaker | Screening Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Valverde | Defensive Midfielder | Pressing Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Güler | Wide Playmaker | Tracking Winger |
| AM | Bellingham | Attacking Midfielder | Central Outlet Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Vinícius Jr | Inside Forward | Wide Outlet Winger |
| ST | Mbappé | Channel Forward | Central Outlet Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Attacking WidthWider
- Progress ThroughRight
- Crossing StyleHigh Crosses
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementHigh Press
- Trigger PressMore Often
- Defensive LineHigher
- Defensive TransitionCounter-Press
The idea: Dumfries gives the width on the right while Güler comes inside to deliver, and Bellingham arrives in the box for crosses and set pieces. You need a right-back with the legs to attack and recover, and a No. 10 who scores headers.
What FM26 can't copy: Leaving Valverde as a plain Defensive Midfielder recreates the problem from this match: to fix it, move him to a central midfield role.
Our reading of this match in FM26 terms, not an exported tactic file. Role names as in FM26.
What if? Replay it with a different plan
Our best alternative plan: Formation 4-3-3, Espí on at 65' not 80' (for Bellingham), Diomande on at 64' for Vinícius, not Güler. Free Valverde to run from midfield, keep Güler on and bring Espí on earlier. Real Madrid would still have needed to break a deep block, but with more players arriving in the box. It moves Real Madrid's win chance from 72% to 80% (xG 2.71–1.05 becomes 3.21–1.00). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer Real Madrid needed
Carlos Espí
Real Madrid spent the match against a deep 4-4-2 with only three big chances. Espí is a penalty-box striker who reacts first to loose balls, and he did exactly that for the winner. Mourinho said he is 'the kind of player we need for this type of match'. From the hour, beside or instead of a tiring Bellingham, he gives the box presence Madrid missed.
Martín Zubimendi
Real Madrid's midfield could not break RCD Espanyol's lines: SI saw no line-breaking passes, and Valverde was stuck deep. Zubimendi's passes through the lines from the base of midfield would let Valverde play further forward and give Madrid a way through a low block other than set pieces and loose balls.
What the analysts said
“I think we deserved to win, but Espanyol didn't deserve to lose.”José Mourinho (realmadrid.com)
“He's the kind of player we need for this type of match.”José Mourinho on Carlos Espí (realmadrid.com)
“He's a player who can score and needs to play in a position close to goal.”José Mourinho on Bellingham (realmadrid.com)
“We were missing a bit of better counter-attacking.”Manolo González, RCD Espanyol manager (FútbolFantasy, translated from Spanish)
Mourinho's first game back showed what the midfield lacked.
What's happening. Madrid won 2–1 at Espanyol with a 90th-minute goal from debutant Espí. Espanyol's goalkeeper saved two Bellingham headers and several Mbappé shots, and Valverde hit the post.
How it works. Madrid scored from a free kick and a loose ball. With Bernardo Silva and Valverde both sitting deep, nobody broke Espanyol's lines from midfield. Against a deep defence, someone has to run beyond the striker or receive between the lines. The fix came from the bench: three fresh attackers against tired legs after 70 minutes.
What the shots say. Replaying every shot, Madrid win about seven times in ten, so they deserved it. But they made only two big chances in 21 shots. That points to a strong bench, and a starting midfield that needed help to open a deep defence.