Espanyol have already bitterly surprised Mourinho once
Why it matters
Saturday's match represents an important opportunity for Espanyol to prove their worth against one of the strongest teams in La Liga. Espanyol's victory against Real Madrid last season left an indelible mark, and fans are hoping to replicate that success to improve their league position. Furthermore, the performance against the Merengues could significantly influence the Pericos' season.
Context
Hugo Morales, Espanyol's young striker, has already shown that he can make the difference in crucial matches, as highlighted by his performance last season against Real Madrid. With his ability to score in decisive moments, he could prove to be a key element for Espanyol in this match and in the rest of the La Liga season.
Key points
- Espanyol have already bitterly surprised Mourinho once.
- Espanyol welcomes Real Madrid this Saturday at the RCDE Stadium (9.30 pm), the second match for the pericos in the LaLiga that has just started but the first for the merengues, who are struggling later due to the internationals who played in the World Cup.
- Espanyol once loved Mourinho.
Real Madrid fans don't forget the first leg of last season, when at Montjuic, the Spanish temporary stadium, Espanyol won 1-0 with a goal from Joselu, now at Real Madrid. But it's not just that match, because Espanyol has a certain aptitude for ruining parties for coaches, especially Mourinho.
In fact, Espanyol's last official match last season, the return match against Real Madrid, ended in a 4-4 draw, but in reality it was a result that was narrow for the Spanish, who that year were fighting not to be relegated, while the merengues had already won the La Liga.
In that match, Espanyol brought in a young 17-year-old striker, called Hugo Morales, who scored 2 goals in 6 minutes, one of which was highly contested by Real Madrid, who asked for the referee to intervene to have the goal annulled, but without success.
So Mourinho, enraged by what happened, decided not to show up for the post-match talks, which caused quite a stir in Spain.
But, as they say, everything has a consequence, and Mourinho paid for his obstinacy by failing to attend Espanyol's pre-match press conference, which was a highly anticipated conference in Spain, and was replaced by one of his collaborators.
But this collaborator made a sensational mistake, that is, he did not notice that the name of Paulo Dybala still appeared in the list of players called up for that match against Espanyol, which should not have been the case, because Dybala had not been called up for that match.
And therefore, all the journalists present at the press conference realized this mistake and began to ask questions to Mourinho's collaborator, who found himself in difficulty and was unable to answer those questions.
In short, the week after the match against Espanyol last season was not a good week at all for Mourinho.
What happens now
With Real Madrid taking to the field for the first time this La Liga season, the merengues are expected to try to start on the right foot. On the other hand, Espanyol will have to exploit their home advantage to achieve a positive result. The match will not only have an immediate impact on the standings, but could also influence the morale of the teams for the next matches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the score of the match between Espanyol and Real Madrid?
The match will be played on Saturday, but the final score is not yet available.
What is the impact of the Espanyol vs Real Madrid match on the standings?
The match is important for both teams, but the impact on the standings will only be visible after it has taken place.
When is Espanyol's next match?
Espanyol will play against Real Madrid this Saturday at 9.30pm.
Who scored in the previous match between Espanyol and Real Madrid?
In the previous match, Espanyol won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Joselu.
Who is Hugo Morales and what role did he play last season?
Hugo Morales is a young striker who scored 2 goals in 6 minutes in the return match against Real Madrid.
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