The second Mourinho era begins as Real Madrid head to Espanyol
By Matt Smith
This will be José Mourinho’s first LaLiga game in charge since returning to the club, 13 years after he initially departed.
Madrid won both fixtures between these sides by the same 2-0 scoreline home and away last season but interestingly, Espanyol have won two of their previous four games at home to Real Madrid. They’ll be hoping for a repeat of that on Saturday evening.
Team news
Espanyol will be without Kike García and Javi Puado due to injury for their game against Real Madrid. Leandro Cabrera will also be unavailable due to suspension.
Real Madrid have a number of injury concerns, with Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Raúl Asencio and Ferland Mendy all ruled out due to injury. Mourinho has already named his squad for the trip to Espanyol, and it has been confirmed that both Endrick and Aurélien Tchouaméni have been left out.
Is this season Espanyol kick on?
Espanyol have been progressing year on year recently, gaining promotion during the 2023/2024 season, followed by a 14th place finish after landing in LaLiga. Last season, Espanyol finished in eleventh position in the top tier, something they could have only dreamed of a few years ago.
This might be Real Madrid’s first game since the return of league action, but Espanyol have already faced Levante. They secured a 3-0 victory in their opening match, so could this be the season Espanyol kick on towards the European places?
Real Madrid need vast improvement
It’s rare to see Real Madrid go a season without lifting any trophies, but that’s what happened during the 2025/26 campaign. As a result, the Spanish giants have invested significantly during the summer transfer window, and they could have a completely new-look squad heading into the new season.
The pick of the new signings is undoubtedly Yan Diomande, who completed a £110 million switch from RB Leipzig. The Ivory Coast international will have a battle to get into the starting XI, but there’s no doubt he’s an exciting signing for the future.
Mourinho is certainly a coach who knows how to get the best out of players, but it’s been a long time since he managed a club the size of Real Madrid.
Diomande must prove his worth
The Real Madrid supporters are some of the most expected in world football, and it certainly doesn’t matter what age you are. Diomande arrives in Madrid at the age of 19, but with the Spanish giants paying over £100 million for him, there’ll be plenty of expectation.
With Rodrygo out injured, there is a chance that he could play from the start against Espanyol, and it’s an opportunity for him to prove himself early on.
Prediction
We’re going for a 2-0 victory to Madrid in this one as they look to get off to a fast start.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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