Espanyol vs Real Madrid: Awaiting Jose Mourinho’s Magic Touch on His Debut
An exciting clash is set to take place in the second matchweek of the 2026/27 LaLiga season as RCD Espanyol welcome Real Madrid. The game will mark Jose Mourinho’s return to the Real Madrid dugout.
The 2026/27 LaLiga season has had an unusual start. The campaign officially got underway last week, although only a number of teams played their opening fixtures. Espanyol were among them, securing an impressive 3-0 victory over Levante UD.
The situation came after LaLiga approved requests from two of Spain’s biggest clubs, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, to postpone their opening fixtures. The decision was made because several of their players were involved with the Spanish national team during their successful 2026 World Cup campaign.
That situation gives Espanyol an advantage heading into the encounter. Having already played a competitive match, the hosts should have a higher level of match fitness compared to several Real Madrid players.
Playing at home could also provide an additional boost for Espanyol. The match will be held at RCDE Stadium in the early hours of Sunday, August 23, WIB.
However, Real Madrid are still Real Madrid. Despite facing several disadvantages, Los Blancos remain a formidable opponent and will be difficult to beat.
One thing is certain: Real Madrid will have several new faces in the lineup, including their manager. Jose Mourinho is set to begin his second spell in charge of Los Blancos, having previously managed the club until 2013.
Espanyol, meanwhile, will be without several key players. Javi Puado and Kike Garcia are sidelined with injuries, while Leandro Cabrera is suspended due to an accumulation of cards.
Real Madrid will also have several absentees, with Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Raul Asencio, and Ferland Mendy all ruled out through injury.
Predicted Lineups
RCD Espanyol (4-2-3-1): Dmitrovic; O. E. Hilali, C. Riedel, U. Nunez, R. Hinojo; U. Gonzales, E. Exposito, J. Hernandez; A. Calatrava, T. Dolan, R. Fernandez.
Manager: Manolo Gonzalez
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Cucurella, Huijsen, Konate, Dumfries; B. Silva, Valverde, A. Guler; Vinicius Jr, B. Diaz, K. Mbappe.
Manager: Jose Mourinho
