Tyrhys Dolan looks to create some problems for Real Madrid as he cuts in from the left, but his cross is headed away.

Denzel Dumfries is in behind again as he runs onto a cute Arda Guler through ball, but goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic does well to block his low cross with his legs.

Denzel Dumfries overlaps on the right but sees his cross blocked, which gives Espanyol a chance to break.

Javi Hernández bursts forward into the space vacated by the Real Madrid right-back, but Federico Valverde charges back to snuff out the danger.

It's all Real Madrid at the moment.

Arda Guler's whipped ball from the right is somehow hooked clear by Espanyol, before Kylian Mbappe sees a dipping strike held by Marko Dmitrovic.

Jude Bellingham is running the show.

The referee takes a second to run over to Espanyol boss Manuel Gonzalez and give him a talking too.

Jose Mourinho might face the same soon - he's looking pretty lively on the touchline.

Kylian Mbappe shows unbelievable footwork as he dances towards the penalty area and skips past several challenges, but his attempted through ball to Arda Guler is cleared.

That's naughty from Espanyol midfielder Cala - he kicks Vinicius in the back after the Real Madrid man goes to ground.

Cala immediately holds his hands up but Vincius is understandably annoyed, and tells him as much.

Cala gets away without a booking.

Early warning sign for the hosts as Roger Hinojo is robbed of possession by Arda Guler, but the Real Madrid man can't do anything with it.

Espanyol get us under way at the RCDE Stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

The players are out, meaning kick-off is almost upon us.

If you are an Espanyol fan, then don't ready any more of this post.

Real Madrid have won 110 of their 180 La Liga meetings with Espanyol (D33 L37), a record for the most wins by one team against another in the competition's history.

Espanyol have lost 11 of their 15 La Liga games at the RCDE Stadium against Real Madrid (W3 D1), more than against any other opponent in the competition.

Los Blancos have not lost on the opening day in any of their last 17 La Liga seasons (W12 D5), since their 2-1 defeat against Deportivo de La Coruna in August 2008; this is the best unbeaten run on the opening day by any team in the competition's history.

Elizabeth Conway
BBC Sport Spanish football reporter

Tyrhys Dolan, who played for Blackburn Rovers for five years before joining Espanyol last summer, says he is ready to take on Real Madrid.

The Manchester-born winger began his second season in Spain in impressive fashion, scoring in Espanyol's 3-0 victory over Levante on the opening weekend.

Now he faces a very different challenge, with Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid arriving in Barcelona for their first match of the season.

Dolan, 24, insists Espanyol will not allow the occasion to change their approach.

"These are the games you want to be playing in," he said. "They're the games the supporters want to watch and all eyes will be on it.

"Jose Mourinho has legendary status as a manager. He's got that mentality that he wants to win every single game.

"They're not going to come out and treat it as an easy game against us. They're going to bring their best."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

One of the big challenges facing Jose Mourinho is getting the most out of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior without sacrificing the balance of the team.

Can the Special One succeed where his predecessors failed?

"They are incredible players and incredible players want to play with incredible players. Top players have frustration when they play with team-mates who are not top," Mourinho said.

"The best want to play with the best. After the tactical adjustments, it might be a little bit more difficult.

"It's harder for Mourinho to find the perfect set-up for all three. It's harder. But here we are. I want all three of them to feel comfortable on the field together," he said.

"I'm very confident that you'll say it's great when the three play together because they're high-quality players, and I don't think their positions are incompatible either.

"I'm very confident that we're going to have a great season with them."

Image source, Getty Images

This may be the first competitive match of Jose Mourinho's second spell as Real Madrid boss, but he has already secured a key win - concincing Vinicius Jr to stay at the club.

The Brazilian winger had entered the final 12 months of his contract, but after weeks of speculation and links with Arsenal, he opted to sign a new six-year deal.

"Vinicius has fallen in love with Real Madrid," Mourinho said on Spanish TV show El Chiringuito.

"The only thing I told him was: 'Vini, where do you want to go? You've only been in Brazil and you only know Real Madrid. You only understand Real Madrid when you leave. When you leave that's when you realise what Real Madrid is. Don't leave. It's not worth it.'

"I think what he has felt in terms of the group's growth, the way we've been working and developing, has given him a very important feeling."

Elizabeth Conway
BBC Sport Spanish football reporter

In his previous spell in charge of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, Jose Mourinho won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

Now 13 years older and having had spells at Manchester United, Tottenham and Inter Milan, the Portuguese believes he returns to Madrid a "more controlled, less emotional" manager - but insisted that does not come at the cost of reduced entertainment.

Mourinho said: "Obviously, I can't hide or try to be something I'm not. I'm much more mature, less emotional and more controlled.

"As always, I learn from mistakes. But I don't regret this or that, because I don't think regretting something that has happened helps anything in life.

"Learning from experiences does. In this job as a coach, I think the more experience you have, the more deja vu you have, the better you become.

"That's not to say I'm more boring. I have the same DNA."

Roberto Fernandez opened his account for the season with a double in Espanyol's 3-0 win against Levante last weekend.

He starts up top, supported by former Blackburn Rovers winger Tyrhys Dolan, who also got on the scoresheet last time out.

Espanyol XI: Dmitrovic, Hinojo, Nunez, Riedel, El Hilali, Dolan, Gonzalez de Zarate, Exposito, Cala, Hernandez, Roberto Fernandez.

Subs: Fortuno, Hartman, Lozano, Milla, Drkusic, Carreras, Marcos Ferandez, Moscardo, Bauza, Timera, Serred, Angel.

Image source, Opta

Jose Mourinho was never not going to start his superstar trio, was he?

Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe all start in Barcelona.

Summer signings Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva are handed their full debuts.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marc Cucurella start on the bench.

Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Carreras, Konate, Huijsen, Dumfries, Bellingham, Silva, Valverde, Guler, Vinicius Junior, Mbappe.

Subs: Camavinga, Alexander-Arnold, Lunin, Cucurella, Espi, Diaz, Rudiger, Diomande, Mestre, Cestero, Rivas, Ciria.

Image source, Opta

Image source, Getty Images

Spain have just won the World Cup, Barcelona are looking to win a third La Liga title on the bounce, and Jose Mourinho is the new Real Madrid manager.

Are we really in the year 2026, or have we time travelled back to 2010?

Something tells me Jose Mourinho's second stint at the Bernabeu isn't going to be dull.

His first test is a trip to Barcelona to face Espanyol.