José Mourinho made his long-awaited return to the Real Madrid dugout with a dramatic 2-1 win over Espanyol, more than 12 years after his previous spell at the club.
Real Madrid took an early lead through Jude Bellingham, but Espanyol fought back to level the game. Madrid struggled to fully control the match despite having stars such as Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Bellingham.
With the game heading towards a draw, 21-year-old Carlos Espí came off the bench and scored a late winner, securing three points for Mourinho in his first La Liga match back.
The victory was far from perfect, but Mourinho remained calm after the final whistle, acknowledging that his new-look Madrid side is still a work in progress.
For Mourinho, though, three points and a winning return to the Bernabéu era are the perfect start.
