Mbappé misfires over ten shots without scoring as Real Madrid snatch victory at Barcelona

Real Madrid claimed their first La Liga victory of the season away at Espanyol (2-1) on Saturday evening in matchday 2, thanks to a goal from Carlos Espi in the 90th minute. The 21-year-old striker, signed for €25 million from Levante and introduced nine minutes earlier, finished off a final Kylian Mbappé burst into the box to secure three points for the Merengues.

The evening had started well for José Mourinho’s side: Jude Bellingham opened the scoring with a header from an Arda Güler free kick from the wing in the 9th minute. Espanyol equalized twenty minutes later through Alex Calatrava, unmarked in front of Thibaut Courtois, much to the frustration of Ibrahim Konaté (30th).

Mbappé, meanwhile, multiplied his attempts without ever finding the back of the net. With over ten shots without a goal, he becomes the first Real Madrid player to post such a record in a La Liga match since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018. An unflattering statistic for someone Spanish media already see as a candidate for a historic third consecutive Pichichi award.

The French striker also failed to impress from set pieces: tasked with a free kick from the wing early in the second half, he sent the ball over the crossbar, under the gaze of a visibly frustrated Mourinho on the bench. Vinicius, by contrast, attempted just one shot in the match.

After the final whistle, the Portuguese manager nonetheless came to his striker’s defense, calling him the “greatest player in World Cup history”. Mbappé will need to prove on the pitch that his influence extends beyond shot statistics.