Mourinho’s Second Coming Begins at RCDE Stadium
Real Madrid start their new La Liga season on Saturday evening in a place that rarely offers anyone a gentle welcome. The RCDE Stadium awaits, Espanyol are already up and running, and Jose Mourinho’s second spell in charge of the Spanish giants finally moves from theory to reality.
This is his first official match back on the Real Madrid bench. No more presentations, no more nostalgia. Just a league opener that already carries an edge.
Espanyol Flying, But Short-Handed
Espanyol could hardly have scripted a better start to their campaign. A 3-0 win over Levante on the opening weekend has filled the dressing room with belief and given the crowd a reason to turn up loud.
They won’t be at full strength, though. Cabrera is suspended, while Javi Puado and Kike Garcia are both out injured. Three important absences, three problems for a coach who would have liked to test himself against Madrid with all his weapons available.
Even so, that first victory changes the mood. Espanyol aren’t just looking to survive the visit of a title favourite. They want to hurt them.
Madrid’s Injury List Grows – and the Academy Steps In
If Espanyol have issues, Madrid have a crisis board.
Mendy, Asensio, Militao, Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch, Rodrygo and Endrick are all unavailable with physical problems. It’s a long list for the first weekend of the league and a brutal reminder to Mourinho that his squad depth will be tested from day one.
The response has been clear: look to the academy. Mario Rivas, Cestero and Alexis Ceria have been promoted to the first-team squad for the trip to Barcelona. For them, it’s an unexpected early audition under one of the most demanding coaches in the game.
A Star-Studded XI Despite the Absences
Even with half a team in the treatment room, the names on Madrid’s expected lineup still hit hard.
According to Spanish newspaper “Marca”, Mourinho is set to start with:
- Courtois;
- Arnold, Konate, Huijsen, Carreras;
- Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Brahim Diaz;
- Arda Guler, Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe.
It is a side built to dominate the ball and punish in transition. Valverde’s running, Bernardo Silva’s control, Brahim Diaz between the lines, the craft of Arda Guler, and the chaos that Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe bring to any back line they face.
This is not a cautious first step. It is a statement selection.
Title Demands vs. Early-Season Belief
Madrid arrive with a clear mission: reclaim a La Liga crown they have watched Barcelona lift in each of the last two seasons. That stings at Valdebebas. Mourinho knows it. The players know it. The margin for error is slim.
Espanyol’s target is different but no less sharp. They want to turn that opening 3-0 into a platform, not a one-off. Take something from Real Madrid, and the rest of the league will have to pay attention.
One side is chasing redemption, the other chasing respect. The new season hasn’t even settled, and already the RCDE Stadium feels like the first real test of how far both can go.
