Mourinho has winning start at Real Madrid
A typical Joselu goal decided a closely contested match, with Madrid looking very much like last year's team and Espanyol well organized. Arda, the standout player, was substituted. Bellingham and Calatrava scored the goals
Carlos Espí came off the bench to score a late winner for Madrid on his debut for the Spanish giant.
The 21-year-old Espí was one of the standouts of La Liga last season and Madrid reportedly paid Levante 25 million euros ($28 million) for him.
Espí was brought on in the 79th minute and scored 11 minutes later, pouncing after Kylian Mbappé had been knocked off the ball and firing past Marko Dmitrovic.
Jude Bellingham headed in a free kick in the ninth minute and almost scored in similar fashion early in the second half but saw his header fingertipped onto the crossbar by Dmitrovic.
Álex Calatrava had scored a deserved equalizer for the Espanyol in the 30th minute, sweeping the ball past Thibaut Courtois for his first La Liga goal.
Mourinho was hired in June and officially took over in July at the start of the preseason.
He is back for a second stint with Madrid some 13 years after he left the club. He was in charge from 2010-13, winning a Spanish league and a Copa del Rey.
It was Madrid's first match of the season as they and defending champion Barcelona sat out the first weekend because they had players return later from the World Cup.
