Espanyol 1-2 Real Madrid: substitute Espí breaks 1-1 deadlock
AI-written review based on match data · How we make it
Key numbers
- 21 shots to 8, but 0.13 xG per shot for both
- Dmitrović's six saves kept it at 1-1
- Espí's 90' goal: +1.8 FN xPts
A narrow win that arrived at the death
Real Madrid won at Espanyol, but only just. Jude Bellingham put them ahead in the ninth minute and Álex Calatrava levelled in the 30th, and the match then stayed square until Carlos Espí's late winner. Espí was a substitute, and his strike was the only goal of the second half.
Plenty of shots, no sharper edge
Real Madrid had 21 shots, yet their xG per shot was 0.13, exactly the same as Espanyol's. That points to an advantage built on volume, not quality. Marko Dmitrović made six saves and several more attempts were blocked, which kept the scoreline level for so long.
Güler created, Vinícius competed
Arda Güler produced seven key passes, the most of any player, and set up Bellingham's opener in the ninth minute. Vinícius Júnior won more duels than anyone on the pitch. Espanyol committed 19 fouls, and the match was broken up regularly as a result.
One goal that turned a draw into a win
Espí's goal was worth +1.8 FN xPts, well above Bellingham's opener (+0.7) and Calatrava's equaliser (+0.6). It turned a level match into a win for Real Madrid, which is why the number is so large. Espanyol had pulled themselves back into it through Calatrava, but finished without a point.
Player of the match
Arda Güler 8.7Dominant
Seven key passes and one assist in 64 minutes earned him the highest FN Score.
Güler earned most of his FN Score through attack. One of his chances became Bellingham's goal in the ninth minute, and he completed 38 of 41 passes while winning six of his eight duels. He was withdrawn after 64 minutes with the match still level, and Espí settled it from the bench.
Game state
0-11-11-2
Espanyol ahead 0 min · level 69 min · Real Madrid ahead 21 min
- Carlos Espí — off the bench 10 min · 1G 0A
FN xPts — what each moment was worth
How much each moment changed that team's expected points (win 3, draw 1). A goal's value is credited 70% to the scorer and 30% to the assist.
9'
Jude Bellingham
Goal · scorer +0.5 · assist Arda Güler +0.2
+0.7
30'
Álex Calatrava
Goal · scorer +0.4 · assist Javier Hernández +0.2
+0.6
90'
Carlos Espí
Goal
+1.8
Espanyol
Expected (last two seasons) 0.9Own moments +0.6Opponent moments −1.6Time effect +0.1→ League points won 0
Real Madrid
Expected (last two seasons) 1.9Own moments +2.5Opponent moments −0.8Time effect −0.6→ League points won 3
Expected points don't add up to a fixed total (a draw is 1 + 1), so an opponent's moment isn't simply the mirror of your loss. "Time effect" is the change as the clock runs down on a lead or a chase, and isn't credited to any player.
How FN Score and FN xPts work →
Match stats
EspanyolReal Madrid
1.05Expected goals (xG)2.71
Timeline
- 9'
Goal
Jude Bellingham league goal #1 assist Arda Güler
- 30'
Goal
Álex Calatrava league goal #1 assist Javier Hernández
- 32'
Yellow
Álex Calatrava
- 32'
Yellow
Vinícius Júnior
- 59'
Yellow
Clemens Riedel
- 64'
Sub
Álvaro Carreras → Marc Cucurella
- 64'
Sub
Arda Güler → Yan Diomande
- 66'
Sub
Clemens Riedel → Vanja Drkušić
- 66'
Sub
Álex Calatrava → Rafael Bauzà
- 75'
Sub
Urko González → Pol Lozano
- 75'
Sub
Javier Hernández → Pere Milla
- 80'
Sub
Denzel Dumfries → Trent Alexander-Arnold
- 80'
Sub
Bernardo Silva → Eduardo Camavinga
- 80'
Sub
Jude Bellingham → Carlos Espí
- 84'
Yellow
Edu Expósito
- 88'
Sub
Edu Expósito → Jofre Carreras
- 90'
Goal
Carlos Espí league goal #1
- 90+1'
Yellow
Pere Milla
- 90+4'
Yellow
Pol Lozano
Category leaders
- Key passesArda Güler7
- Duels wonVinícius Júnior12/16
- DribblesEdu Expósito3/4
- Defensive actionsEdu Expósito5
- ShotsKylian Mbappé7 (on target 3)
- Fouls wonVinícius Júnior8
#Espanyol#Real Madrid#La Liga#Arda Güler#Jude Bellingham#Carlos Espí
This review was written by AI from match data (API-Football). FN Score and FN xPts are calculated by Fulltime Note using a published formula.