Espanyol vs. Real Madrid: Mourinho Begins Second Stint in Charge

Tonight, Real Madrid kicks off not just a new season, but a new era with the start of Jose Mourinho's second spell at the helm. Their campaign begins with an away match against Espanyol, after Los Blancos sat out the first round of La Liga to give their World Cup participants extra rest. For the Catalan side, this is their second consecutive home game, following an impressive start with a classic 3-0 victory over Levante.

The Portuguese manager has predictably placed Kylian Mbappé at the forefront of the attack. The French forward will be supported from just behind by Vinícius, Jude Bellingham, and Arda Güler. New signing Bernardo Silva will partner the team's new captain, Federico Valverde, in midfield. Another newcomer, Denzel Dumfries, has won the battle with Trent Alexander-Arnold and will start on the right flank. Ibrahima Konaté will feature in the centre of defence alongside Dean Huijsen. Another new face, Marc Cucurella, remains on the bench as Álvaro Carreras gets his chance to start.

Espanyol's manager, Manolo González, is fielding the exact same starting eleven that secured the solid win against Levante. The 'Parakeets' attack is once again led by Roberto Fernández, who scored a brace, and English winger Tyrese Doolan, who found the net once. The good news for the hosts is the recovery of Edu Expósito, who was struggling with a muscle problem. The team is still without the injured Kike García and Javi Puado, as well as the suspended Leandro Cabrera.