Real Madrid made hard work of it at Espanyol but got the job done, coming from behind to win 1-2 at the RCDE Stadium. The hosts grabbed an early lead and matched their visitors at the break, but Madrid's superior quality and relentless pressure eventually told. They dominated possession and created numerous chances, with eight corners compared to none for Espanyol, though the home side made them work for it with three shots on target of their own. Jude Bellingham was the standout performer, orchestrating Madrid's second-half comeback and earning the official man-of-the-match award. It wasn't vintage Madrid by any means—Espanyol had their moments and kept things competitive throughout—but three points on the road is three points in the end. The visitors had to come from behind to get the win, and that's the mark of a side with character when things aren't flowing perfectly.
The Matchup
Real Madrid beat Espanyol 1-2 at RCDE Stadium, and the numbers from the match back up how the game played out. Even without the extra share of possession, which finished 37% in favour of Espanyol, Real Madrid made the most of the chances that mattered and did enough to see the game out. The shot count told a similar story, with 8 attempts from Espanyol against 21 from Real Madrid over the course of the game. Espanyol had their moments and did not make it easy from start to finish, but ultimately came up short on the day. Small margins like this one tend to add up over a season, and results such as this are often what separates teams in the table further down the line. Here is a closer look at exactly how the two sides compared, statistically.
Man of the Match
Match Statistics
Match Events
| Min | Team | Card | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9' | Real Madrid | Goal — J. Bellingham (assist: A. Guler) | 0-1 | |
| 30' | Espanyol | Goal — A. Calatrava (assist: J. Hernandez) | 1-1 | |
| 32' | Espanyol | Álex Calatrava | 1-1 | |
| 32' | Real Madrid | Vinícius Júnior | 1-1 | |
| 59' | Espanyol | Clemens Riedel | 1-1 | |
| 64' | Real Madrid | Substitution — A. Carreras on, M. Cucurella off | 1-1 | |
| 64' | Real Madrid | Substitution — A. Guler on, Y. Diomande off | 1-1 | |
| 66' | Espanyol | Substitution — C. Riedel on, V. Drkusic off | 1-1 | |
| 66' | Espanyol | Substitution — A. Calatrava on, R. Bauza off | 1-1 | |
| 75' | Espanyol | Substitution — U. Gonzalez on, P. Lozano off | 1-1 | |
| 75' | Espanyol | Substitution — J. Hernandez on, P. Milla off | 1-1 | |
| 80' | Real Madrid | Substitution — D. Dumfries on, T. Alexander-Arnold off | 1-1 | |
| 80' | Real Madrid | Substitution — B. Silva on, E. Camavinga off | 1-1 | |
| 80' | Real Madrid | Substitution — J. Bellingham on, C. Espi off | 1-1 | |
| 84' | Espanyol | Edu Expósito | 1-1 | |
| 88' | Espanyol | Substitution — Exposito on, Jofre off | 1-1 | |
| 90+4' | Espanyol | Pol Lozano | 1-1 | |
| 90+1' | Espanyol | Pere Milla | 1-1 | |
| 90' | Real Madrid | Goal — C. Espi | 1-2 |
Espanyol vs Real Madrid Lineups
Looking Ahead
Espanyol have a quick chance to build on this result. Their next test comes away at Real Sociedad, and how they respond after this result will be worth watching. You can follow the build-up and everything you need to know when Real Sociedad vs Espanyol going to play at 29 August 2026 in Spanish La Liga 2026-27.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, does not have long to wait before getting back out onto the pitch. They are next in action at home to Real Sociedad, a game that will give an early sense of how they carry this result forward. Full details are here: Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad going to play at 26 August 2026 in Spanish La Liga 2026-27.