José Mourinho returned to the Real Madrid dugout with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Espanyol on the opening day of the La Liga season, clinching the win with a last-minute goal from substitute Carlos Espí.

The match kicked off with excitement as Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for Los Blancos just nine minutes in, converting a header from an Arda Güler free kick after a foul on Vinícius Júnior. However, Espanyol equalized before halftime, with Thibaut Courtois denying Clemens Riedel before Álex Calatrava finished a well-crafted move involving Tyrhys Dolan and Javi Hernández.

Despite several attempts from Kylian Mbappé, including shots that forced saves from Marko Dimitrovic, and a near miss from Federico Valverde, the game remained level until the dying moments. In the 90th minute, Espí capitalized on a loose ball in the box, securing the win for Madrid.

This match marked Mourinho's first game back in charge of Real Madrid since a 4-2 win against Osasuna in May 2013, a span of 4,380 days. Alongside Mbappé, Vinícius, and Bellingham, Mourinho utilized his bench effectively, bringing on key players including Yan Diomande and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Post-match, Mourinho acknowledged his team's deserved win but conceded that Espanyol did not deserve to lose. He emphasized the importance of commitment in his squad while discussing the challenge of integrating three star players into the attack.

Looking ahead, Real Madrid will face Real Sociedad next, while Espanyol will also meet the same opponents, providing both teams with opportunities to build on their respective starts to the season.