Real Madrid left the RCDE Stadium with the three points after beating Espanyol 2-0 on matchday 34 of LaLiga EA Sports 25/26. The match was balanced for long periods, but the visitors asserted their greater share of possession when Vinícius Júnior made the decisive breakthrough shortly after the hour mark.
Espanyol finished the game with more shots, 17 to Real Madrid’s 15, but the visitors were more efficient in front of goal and also had an advantage in possession, controlling 66% of the ball. Real Madrid created the clearest chances, with an expected goals figure of 1.66 compared to Espanyol’s 1.26, and managed five shots on goal in 15 attempts.
The first goal came in the 55th minute, when Gonzalo García assisted Vinícius Júnior, who scored his 14th league goal of the campaign and 126th for the club. The same combination was not necessary for the second, as Jude Bellingham assisted Vinícius again in the 66th minute for a second shot that left the result beyond any doubt.
Espanyol fought throughout the match and forced Real Madrid to work, but the visitors were able to combine control and clinical finishing to close out the match. In the end, Vinícius Júnior was the standout figure, scoring both goals in a professional away victory for Carlo Ancelotti’s team.
Incidents: The history of the party
Official Espanyol lineups:
Marko Dmitrović, Omar El Hilali, Rubén Sánchez, Urko González, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero, Edu Expósito, Ramón Terrats, Tyrhys Dolan, Roberto Fernández
Real Madrid official lineups:
Andriy Lunin, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rüdiger, Dean Huijsen, Ferland Mendy, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Thiago Pitarch, Brahim Díaz, Vinícius Júnior
1′:
the match starts
Vinicius José Paixao de Oliveira Júnior scores and makes it 1-0.
55′:
GOAL Real Madrid: Goal from Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)!
Vinícius Júnior scores goal number 14 in the competition (33 games) Vinícius Júnior scores goal number 126 for his team (372 games)
66′:
GOAL Real Madrid: Goal from Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)!
Vinícius Júnior scores goal number 15 in the competition (33 games) Vinícius Júnior scores goal number 126 for his team (372 games)
998′:
The referee whistles the end of the game.