Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-0: Vinicius shines, challenging Barcelona ahead of El Clasico.

The match in Round 34 of La Liga 2025/2026 between Espanyol and Real Madrid was not just a points contest, but also a statement of honor for the Spanish royal club. Under pressure to win to prevent their rival Barcelona from securing the title early, coach Alvaro Arbeloa's team successfully accomplished their task thanks to the brilliance of their star players and the fresh impetus from their young talents.

Vinicius Junior and his superstar status.

The Brazilian striker continued to assert his position as the heart of Real Madrid's attack. After a somewhat stagnant first half with a shot hitting the post in the 8th minute, Vinicius exploded in the second half. In the 55th minute, he cleverly capitalized on an opportunity to open the scoring, completely relieving the pressure on the visiting team.

In the 66th minute, Vinicius completed his brace with a spectacular shot into the top corner after a beautiful combination play. With 14 goals in La Liga this season and receiving 79% of the votes for "Man of the Match," Real Madrid's number 7 once again proved he is irreplaceable.

Arbeloa's tactical imprint and youth revolution.

With Kylian Mbappe absent due to injury, coach Alvaro Arbeloa showed courage by placing his trust in young players. Thiago Pitarch was given a starting opportunity and showed many positive signs in the midfield. In addition, substitutions from the bench also yielded immediate results, with Gonzalo Garcia assisting the opening goal just minutes after coming on.

In particular, Jude Bellingham's tactical vision cannot be overlooked. Although he didn't score directly, the English midfielder played the role of "orchestrator" with a subtle back-heel assist for Vinicius to make it 2-0. The connection between Bellingham and the young strikers is becoming the most potent weapon for the Bernabeu team at the moment.

A resilient defense system

Despite Espanyol's efforts to apply pressure and generate an expected goals (xG) of 1.16, Real Madrid's defense held firm. Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin continued his consistent form with a spectacular save in the 45+3 minute after Cabrera's close-range header. Rudiger's composure and Fran Garcia's quick adaptation helped the visitors keep a clean sheet, extending their unbeaten run in La Liga to 25 matches after taking the lead.

Head held high ahead of El Clasico.

This victory helps Real Madrid close the gap with Barcelona to 11 points with 4 rounds remaining in the league. Although the chances of overtaking them are very slim, as their rivals only need 2 more points, this result has enormous psychological significance. Arbeloa's team will enter the El Clasico at Camp Nou next weekend determined to prevent their rivals from celebrating the championship right in front of them.

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