Real Madrid come back and beat Espanyol with another 'favour' from the referees (4-1)

After a 'miraculous' Champions League win against Stuttgart (3-1), Real Madrid were back in action in LaLiga EA Sports against Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabéu. In the match corresponding to the 6th round of the local championship, the Merengues managed to overcome the Catalans' goal and turned the result around with a new 'gift' from the main referee (4-1).

With a new starting eleven in which Vinicius Jr. was not part of, the team led by Carlo Ancelotti showed more fluid football than in their last matches. The Madrid players dominated their rivals in the first 45 minutes, but the lack of aim did not reflect their superiority on the field despite having many chances in front of goal. Joan García, a promising goalkeeper, supported an Espanyol that resisted being trapped in its area.

The absence of the '7' did not weigh on the team, since Rodrygo showed one of his best versions stuck to the left wing. However, and despite the insistence of the Brazilian, Mbappé and Bellingham, the lack of precision in the final meters, added to the firm performance of the rival goalkeeper, prevented the whites from going ahead on the scoreboard at the break.

Madrid sentenced the duel in the second half

Upon returning from the locker room, Espanyol rang the bell by opening the scoring thanks to Thibaut Courtois, who deflected a cross from Jofre into his own goal. However, the response of the locals was not long in coming. Dani Carvajal took advantage of an error by Joan García to push the ball over the line and equalize the actions for a Madrid that received the whistles of its fans after the indifference shown in the first minutes of the second half.

The visitors began to fade away on the pitch and Ancelotti brought on Vinicius, who turned the game around in a couple of minutes. First with a great cross to Rodrygo for the comeback goal, and later scoring the goal that sealed the match. Finally, and as is becoming customary, match after match, the Whites received a 'little gift' from the main referee, who signalled a non-existent penalty on Endrick when the match was 'dying'.

The Brazilian fell after a continued grab by Carlos Romero, who held him practically from the corner flag. In the replay it could be seen that the Merengue player was not brought down inside the area, a fact that was omitted by Munuera Montero so that Kylian Mbappé could score the fourth and final goal that brings Madrid, in his style, closer to one point of FC Barcelona in the standings.

Match details: Real Madrid 4-1 Espanyol

• Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal (L. Vázquez, m.60), Tchouaméni, Militao, F. García; Modric (Modric, m.70), Valverde, Bellingham (Rüdiger, m.84); Rodrygo (Endrick, m.86), Güler (Vinicius, m.55) y Mbappé.
• Espanyol: García; Tejero (Aguado, m.76), El Hilali, Kumbulla, Cabrera, Romero; Lozano (Gragera, m.67), Carreras (Cardona, m.76), Král; Cheddira (Véliz, m.46), Puado (Milla, m.81).
• Referee: Munuera Montero
• Incidents: Match corresponding to Matchday 6 of LaLiga EA Sports 2024-25
• Goas: 0-1, Thibaut Courtois (min.54, P.P.); 1-1, Dani Carvajal (min.58); 2-1, Rodrygo (min.75); 3-1, Vinicius (min.77); 4-1, Kylian Mbappé (min. 90+1, P).