Real Madrid cruised past Espanyol with a 2-0 victory at the Bernabéu, thanks to a rocket from Eder Militao and another lethal strike from Kylian Mbappe. While Mbappe continues his electric start in La Liga, Vinicius Junior left fans wanting more despite grabbing an assist.
Real Madrid extended their perfect start to the La Liga season with a 2-0 win over Espanyol, with goals from Eder Militao and Kylian Mbappe lighting up the Bernabéu. Xabi Alonso’s men are now five wins from five, but there were mixed individual performances across the pitch.
Here are the full Real Madrid player ratings vs Espanyol:
Goalkeeper & Defence
Thibaut Courtois (6/10): Had very little to do but commanded his area well.
Dani Carvajal (7/10): Organised well at the back and helped launch the counter that led to Mbappe’s goal.
Raul Asencio (7/10): Filled in admirably for the suspended Dean Huijsen, though a little rash at times.
Eder Militao (9/10): Scored a thunderous 30-yard strike to open the scoring and dominated defensively.
Álvaro Carreras (8/10): Another strong showing at left-back, combining defensive solidity with attacking drive.
Midfield
Federico Valverde (6/10): Kept things tidy without being spectacular.
Aurélien Tchouaméni (6/10): Provided cover in front of the defence, rarely troubled by Espanyol’s attack.
Attack
Franco Mastantuono (7/10): Bright, composed on the ball, but a risky challenge saw him withdrawn early.
Kylian Mbappe (8/10): Missed a big first-half chance but made amends with a trademark strike for his seventh goal of the season.
Vinicius Junior (6/10): Flashed brilliance but lacked end product, hitting the post and frustrating in front of goal despite assisting Mbappe.
Gonzalo Garcia (5/10): Struggled to make an impact and was subbed off on the hour.
Substitutes
Arda Güler (6/10): Neat but quiet after coming on.
Rodrygo (6/10): Introduced late, no real influence.
Brahim Díaz (6/10): Energetic but game was already settled.
Jude Bellingham (N/A): Made a welcome return from injury.
Eduardo Camavinga (N/A): Late cameo to help see out the win.
Manager
Xabi Alonso (7/10): Took a risk with his attacking set-up, but it paid off. Madrid started slowly, yet once Militao’s stunner went in, they controlled proceedings comfortably.
Next up for Los Blancos is a mouthwatering Madrid derby against Atlético, where Alonso will expect his side’s momentum to continue.
