Mourinho stuns with an unexpected partnership

Real Madrid secured their first win of the 2026-2027 La Liga EA Sports season against Espanyol (2-1) this Saturday in Barcelona. José Mourinho deployed an unprecedented attacking partnership with Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler in his starting lineup, a formation that surprised observers.

From the 9th minute, the Bellingham-Güler combination paid off. The Turkish player, positioned as a false right winger, delivered a decisive cross from the left flank to the English international, who opened the scoring with a volley. The Whites dominated the first 20 minutes before allowing Espanyol to fight back. The Catalans equalized and kept the suspense alive until the 90th minute, when Carlos Espí scored the winning goal for Real Madrid.

A surprising partnership that paid off

José Mourinho chose to trust Bellingham and Güler together despite initial doubts. The Englishman, accustomed to a playmaking role, was kept in his "llegador" position, while the Turk was moved from his usual zone to become the architect of Madrid’s offensive play. Bernardo Silva, less involved in build-up play, made way for Güler as the team’s main ball carrier. This partnership allowed Real Madrid to take the lead quickly, but Mourinho’s tactical changes later weakened the team. Güler and Bellingham were substituted before the end of the match, leaving the field with a four-attacker setup, including Kylian Mbappé and Yan Diomande. The Portuguese manager thus abandoned his initial 4-2-3-1 system for a more attacking formation.

Tactical adjustments that came at a cost

Mourinho’s changes also affected the defense. Full-backs Lucas Vázquez and Marc Cucurella were replaced by Jeremie Frimpong and Alejandro Carreras, while Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde were the only midfielders present at the end. This reduction in midfield left the team vulnerable, particularly in response to Espanyol’s second-half surge. The winning goal by Carlos Espí, who came on as a substitute, sealed Madrid’s victory. The promising young Valencian attacker, who had a strong season in La Liga, capitalized on a late offensive surge to hand Real Madrid the three points. A win that kicks off the season but also revealed the limitations of a team still finding its footing. Despite this success, Mourinho's choices raised questions. The premature substitution of Güler and Bellingham deprived Real Madrid of essential attacking momentum late in the game. Deprived of its usual leader, the team struggled to build its play, while Espanyol nearly equalized until the very end. The match also marked Carlos Espí's return to the Madrid squad after a difficult period. His impact off the bench was decisive, as was Jeremie Frimpong's performance at right-back. A victory that, despite its shadows, allows Real Madrid to start the season on a positive note.