Espanyol go into Espanyol vs Real Madrid with a clear route to bother Real Madrid: dead balls, box traffic and Roberto Fernández. Espanyol scored 14 set-piece goals last season, Fernández scored seven league goals, and they have already scored two goals in their opening game this season.

Espanyol's dead-ball threat

The open-play numbers still point to a side that does not generate a huge amount of pressure. Espanyol created the fourth-fewest big chances in La Liga and ranked 17th for touches inside the opposition box. That is why their set-piece output matters so much. When the game gets messy, they have a way to turn limited territory into real danger.

Fernández is the obvious figure at the sharp end of that. He scored seven goals in LaLiga last season, and Espanyol will want him attacking the six-yard area whenever they win a corner or a free-kick wide of goal.

The opener has arrived early enough in the season that one clean delivery can change the tone quickly. Espanyol's two goals in their first game suggest they have started with some edge, and Madrid will know they cannot treat this like a routine first-week fixture.

Madrid's first test of the season

Manolo Gonzalez is in his fourth season with Espanyol, and that continuity helps explain why they look organised enough to make a game like this awkward. They finished 11th in La Liga last season, which is not the profile of a side drifting through a league opener.

Jose Mourinho pointed out their established routines and dynamics due to having the same coach for the last four years. Real Madrid will be meeting a team that knows exactly where its best chance sits.

The biggest question is not whether Espanyol will dominate the ball. It is whether Real Madrid can defend the first contact, the second ball and the crowd of bodies that Espanyol are likely to throw into those areas. If they handle that, the opener should stay under control. If they do not, Fernández will get his moments.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →