Jude Bellingham said his goal was “not the main thing” after helping Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-1 in La Liga.
The England midfielder opened the scoring in the ninth minute, giving Real Madrid an early advantage in the match. Espanyol responded before half-time to level the contest, setting up a closely fought second half.
The decisive moment came in the 90th minute, when Carlos Espi scored to restore Real Madrid’s lead and secure victory for the visitors.
Bellingham’s goal was the first of the match, but the midfielder did not present his own contribution as the most important aspect of the evening. His comments came after a match in which Real Madrid had to recover from Espanyol’s equaliser before finding a late winner.
The result was decided only in the closing stages. After Espanyol had drawn level before the interval, neither side had been able to establish a winning margin until Carlos Espi struck in the final minute of normal time.
That late goal gave Real Madrid a 2-1 victory and ensured Bellingham’s early effort was followed by a winning contribution from his team. While the England international was responsible for putting Real Madrid ahead, Espi’s finish ultimately settled the game.
Real Madrid will return to action on Wednesday, 26 August, when Jose Mourinho’s team host Real Sociedad at home.
The fixture against Real Sociedad will be the next opportunity for Bellingham and his team-mates to build on the win over Espanyol. The Madrid side will go into that match having secured three points from a game that changed direction twice: first when Bellingham scored early, then when the home side equalised before the break, and finally when Espi delivered the winning goal in the 90th minute.
For Bellingham, the individual achievement of scoring was secondary to the result. His primary contribution came at the start of a match Real Madrid eventually won 2-1, although the outcome was only confirmed by a late strike from Espi.
The victory over Espanyol therefore combined an early goal from Bellingham with a last-minute winner from Espi. Real Madrid’s next fixture, against Real Sociedad on 26 August, will be played at home under Mourinho.
