Carlos Espi, Real Madrid's top scorer in pre-season before his first official match

Carlos Espi made the most of Real Madrid’s summer preparation to establish himself as the club’s top scorer, with two goals in four matches — without ever being in the starting lineup. The 21-year-old Spaniard scored his second goal in the friendly match against Schalke 04, in the second half, in the same emphatic 3-0 victory in which Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 6th minute.

Espi was not brought in to steal the spotlight. Signed this summer to be Mbappé’s backup, he fits the precise profile demanded by José Mourinho: a pure number 9, in the mold of a Joselu, characterized by his physical power, his work rate and his ability to put pressure on defenses without accumulating a large number of chances. Spanish newspaper AS reports that the Portuguese manager insisted on this recruitment.

The former Levante player comes off a remarkable second half of the season under Luis Castro — former FC Nantes manager — which caught the attention of Real Madrid’s staff. His role at Real Madrid is clearly defined: give Mbappé rest time, or replace him in case of absence. His participation in all pre-season matches, without ever appearing in the starting eleven, perfectly illustrates this position as a luxury substitute that Mourinho intends to give him throughout the season.