Espanyol 1-3 Real Madrid summary: Benzema goals, score, goals, highlights, LaLiga 2022/23
Espanyol 1-3 Real Madrid full time
Next games for Real Madrid and Espanyol
Real Madrid's next game is against fellow leaders Betis, who are also boasting a 100% record so far. Somethings got to give. It's on Saturday 3 September at 10.15 a.m. ET, which is 4.15 p.m. local time.
Espanyol are back in action on Sunday 4 September, with a visit to Athletic Club, with kick-off at 10.15 a.m. ET, 4.15 p.m. local time.
Check out all the matchday 4 times here for LaLiga.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says the game was tough after the first 20 minutes, but the effort his players put in produced rewards in the end.
Ancelotti says the depth of the squad is really important when asked about Rodrygo coming on and setting up Benzema for the second goal.
That's three games away from home to start the season for Real Madrid, and three wins...
Laliga
Real Madrid top of the table after that win, with three victories out of three, only matched by Betis, who beat Osasuna 1-0 this weekend.
Full time! Real Madrid struggled at 1-1 but managed to come through for the win, to make it three from three so far this season. A fine ball from Rodrygo to Benzema broke the deadlock at 1-1 and then the Frenchman's free-kick past stand in keeper Cabrera was the icing on the cake for Ancelotti's men.
Stand-in keeper and Benzema knew exactly how to take advantage, with men in front of the wall to create a distraction and he slotted it into the far corner.
BENZEMA! He strokes the free-kick home past stand-in keeper Cabrera and that's that!
Clear foul by Lecomte on Ceballos in the end.
Dangerous free-kick for Real Madrid, right on the edge of the box.
Cabrera goes in goal for Espanyol.
Ref having reviewed the footage sends off Lecomte for a foul on Ceballos, and denying a clear goal scoring chance.
Ceballos knocked the ball to Rodrygo in an offside position, but he was touched by Lecomte as came through.
Ref going to review the play...
Real Madrid have the ball in the back of the net after Lecomte makes an absolute hash of coming for the ball, but Rodrygo got the ball from a Ceballos in an offside position and his effort won't count.
Benzema flying header is tipped over by the keeper and hits the top of the net. Close!
Exposito's time is up. Dani Gomez comes on in his stead.
BENZEMA! Lovely ball across from Rodrygo and the French striker knocks in at the back post. Great vision.
Vini down the left, he lays off to Benzema who thinks he's seen a cunning angle to float the ball into the net. It batters off a defender.
Lucas Vázquez's night is over. Dani Carvajal comes on for him.
Vinicius runs into the box down the left-hand side, and he's dispossessed before tumbling to the ground. He's keen on a penalty and the replays would suggest he's got something of a shout, but the referee and any subsequent review say no.
Joselu (who's been a livewire all night) sends a ball across the face of the goal but there's no Espanyol player there able to take a touch. It's finely poised this match right now.
Ancelotti decides it's time to replace Kroos... Dani Ceballos comes on for him.
Shot from distance by Joselu gets the fans on their feet, but the truth is it was always a low trundler going wide of Courtois' post.
Puado goes off, with Nico Melamed coming on for him.
Rodrygo running through get the ball and backheels for Vinicius... but it's just behind his Brazilian teammate! Lovely thinking though Rodrygo was offside anyway.
A shot from Benzema is deflected over, and Kroos' corner goes straight to the keeper.
Darder's corner is cleared by Rudiger and the ball ends up all the way back up the pitch with Espanyol keeper Lecomte.
All manner of shoving and pushing as the Kroos stands over the free-kick. He finally gets to send it in and manages to get it over the first defender, but the second defender nods it clear and now Espanyol go on the attack! Camavinga just nips in to force a corner.
Camavinga knocked over just outside the box on the right. Decent chance to float a free-kick in. Kroos over it.
Tchouameni clatters into Melero and gives away a clear foul. Ancelotti, who has been remarkably calm up to now, chunters away on the touchline - the nerves are getting to him.
Costa picks up a knock and he can't go on, Keidi Bare comes on for him.
The colourful graphics show that Benzema's knee was marginally offside and his goal was fairly chalked off.
Camavinga's runs have been superb since he came on, carving through the Espanyol defense to create all sorts of danger.
Benzema knocks the ball home, but he's offside.
Gil with a lovely cross, but Courtois grabs it!
Benzema fires over, but he was offside anyhow.
Camavinga with a superb run down the middle, he lays off to Benzema, very slightly behind the striker, but who still has time to line up his shot and the keeper makes a fine save! That was a fine chance for Madrid!
Chances for Real Madrid now, it's very open this game and either team could be next on the scoresheet.
Joselu should have put Espanyol in front! He had a great chance in the middle of the box from a long corner that was knocked back to him, but his shot was blocked. And then Courtois makes a fine save from the next rebound chance. Nervy times for Madrid at back.
Camavinga comes on for Modric, and Valverde is also hooked, for Rodrygo.
Action at both ends here, with the teams taking it turn about to try their like. Some lovely play from Vinicius and Modric sees the ball fly across the face of goal, before Espanyol go off on another haring break down the left that ends with a tame cross in Courtois' arms.
Rubén Sánchez goes off on a fine run into the Madrid box, but he's eventually brought to a halt by Rudiger who forces the corner. This is lively stuff from the home side.
Chance for Espanyol! Right after Vinicius' penalty claim, Espanyol nip up the pitch and Puado has a flashing chance in front of goal - it flies over off a Madrid player; from the resulting corner Madrid clear.
Vinicius is knocked over by Calero as he looks for the ball in the Espanyol box. He'd like a penalty but he's not getting one.
Benzema now tries to break through the Espanyol back-line. He takes a diagonal run into the home side's box out on the left, and no matter how good he is, he's not getting past FOUR defenders.
Real Madrid starting the second half like they did the first, dominating the ball and probing the Espanyol defense.
Benzema holds the ball and plays in Vinicius down the left. He's well covered by two defenders and can only win the throw-in. Which comes to nothing.
No changes at half-time for either side.
Espanyol get the second half underway!
After the first 20 minutes the safe money was on Real Madrid going in leading at half-time, and Vinicius came close to adding another to his opening goal, but Espanyol showed some real fight to get back into the game, and Joselu's leveller just before half-time means we're all square going into the second half.
Half-time! The fans are going absolutely wild at the RCDE stadium thanks to that late goal from Joselu which levels the tie at 1-1.
Real Madrid with all the running in the first 20, and a fine goal from Vinicius, before the home side gently came back into the encounter, with the goal from Joselu the perfect rejoinder just before half-time.
Joselu!! We're level in Barcelona!!
Courtois saved the first shot, but the rebound fell back to the Espanyol player who made absolutely certain with his second effort.
Joseul into the box aftrer some lovely build-up play from Espanyol, but the Madrid defense covers just in time. From the corner the ball is INCHES from sliding in at the back post after Cabrera got the faintest of headers to the ball, but it slips past.
Benzema dinking and dodging out on the right hand side of the box, but his magic touch just fails him as he looks to go past the last man.
Exposito launches one from distance, but Courtois is up to the challenge, pushing the ball out to the touchline. Espanyol fired up right now.
Kroos! Effort on goal is blocked and the ball flies off for a corner, which is then cleared by the defence.
Espanyol coach Diego Martínez is desperate for his team to throw off the shackles and get up the pitch. Easier said than done.
The coaches for tonight's encounter before the match.
Vinicius! Ball falls to him at the back post and he takes a lovely touch to control and then dinks it towards the top corner... but it's just over! Great composure and just very slightly overhit.
Espanyol have come into this just a smidgen since Real Madrid's goal, though they are still far from putting any real sustained pressure on Courtois' goal. That said, what they have changed about the dynamic of the game is that Real Madrid haven't created any real chances for several minutes now.
Puado with a great chance! He's left entirely on his tod at the top of the box, controls the ball and fires one goalwards, it just takes deflection and goes off for a corner, but that was a fine chance for the home side.
Corner comes in and Rubén Sánchez sends the effort flying over the bar. #asyouwere
Lacomte comes out for a long ball over the top, and there's a moment of panic as the Espanyol defense aren't sure who is going to clear it. Eventually the keeper takes matters into his own hands, absolutely belting the ball into the air, though it only actually goes about 10 yards forward.
Espanyol would like a penalty for handball with the ball coming off the chest of Militao it looked like. Referee thinks it was chest too.
Vinicius through down the left, and he gets a shot off, but keeper Lecomte saves!
What do Espanyol do now? They were struggling to get their foot on the ball before, but now they actually need something. Can they try and move the ball faster and take Madrid's defense by surprise? The evidence would suggest that's just going to leave them open to being hit by Ancelotti's side.
Vinicius!! Lovely finish!
Superb ball from the outside of the boot from Tchouameni and Vincius runs onto it and finishes perfectly into the bottom corner.
Real Madrid have 82% of the possession so far. The ball hogs.
Espanyol trying their hardest to put together a move from midfield, but they don't have the nous or touch to make it happen so far.
They win a free-kick some 10 yards inside the Madrid half and it feels like a chance to create something. It might have been if the final ball hadn't been floated straight out the back of the pitch.
Kroos is bundled to the ground. He gets a free-kick out on the left which he swings into the box, but the Espanyol defense nod it clear.
Militao taken out as he was going to clear the ball. He's down in some pain.
After a moment on the deck he's back up. Real Madrid have the free-kick and they lump it up the pitch to create some danger.
Espanyol coach Diego Martínez looks VERY serious. Will that be enough?
Madrid with all the possession at the moment, but Militao and Rudiger have seen more of the ball than anyone. Gentle probing is about as far as they are going at the moment.
Real Madrid move it about at the back to get us underway. No real intention to cause any danger, just getting used to the feel of the pitch and ball on boot. Their first actual move up the pitch comes to absolutely nothing.
Real Madrid get us underway!
Espanyol and Real Madrid
Teams are out in Barcelona! Absolutely fantastic atmosphere in the RCDE stadium! It's almost full, so about 40,000 fans here for this one.
Vinicius Jr
Vini warming up (admittedly with a rather agricultural first touch)
Real Madrid facing first fixture congestion of the season
With the World Cup starting on 20 November, the start of the 22/23 season is going to have a hectic schedule for many of the teams with Champions League duties to attend to. Real Madrid are facing six games in the next 22 days, including a derby against Atlético Madrid on 18 September, before the international break.
Today: Espanyol vs Real Madrid
3 September: Real Madrid vs Betis
6 September: Celtic vs Real Madrid
11 September: Real Madrid vs Mallorca
14 September: Real Madrid vs RB Leipzig
18 September: Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid injuries
Ancelotti is missing Nacho, Vallejo and Odriozola. However Kroos is back fresh from his bout of flu and Rodrygo is on the bench, having overcome his latest injury.
Real Madrid starting XI
Ancelotti's choices for the game against Espanyol: Courtois; Lucas, Militao, Alaba, Rüdiger; Tchouameni, Modric, Kroos, Vinicius, Valverde and Benzema.
On the bench: Lunin, Luís López, Carvajal, Mendy, Camavinga, Ceballos, Rodrygo, Asensio, Hazard and Mariano.
Espanyol starting XI
Diego Martínez is going for: Lecomte; Brian, Cabrera, Calero, Gil; Vinicius, Darder, Expósito, Rubén Sánchez, Puado and Joselu.
On the bench: Joan García, Omar, Melamed, Simo, Villahermosa, Keidi, Fortuño, Lazo, Nabil and Dani Gómez.
Who is refereeing Espanyol vs Real Madrid?
Your main whistler tonight is Marío Melero Lopez, and the main man in the VAR booth is José Luis Munuera Montero.
Courtois...
Real Madrid's number 1...
LaLiga table
Here's how LaLiga looks right now. Barcelona have just beaten Valladolid and move up to second as things stand.
Celta yet to win
Celta are yet to taste victory this season, having drawn with Espanyol (2-2)and been beaten by Rayo (2-0)
Real Madrid's start to the season
Real Madrid have started with two wins this season. A 2-1 victory away to Almería on the opening day of the season, and a 4-1 tonking of Celta Vigo last weekend, also away.
Teams for Espanyol vs Real Madrid
The line-ups for tonight's game.
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Modric is still living the dream with Real Madrid...
Real Madrid are in the RCDE
Real Madrid's walking into Espanyol's RCDE stadium.
Here's how to tune in to Espanyol vs Real Madrid.
Hello and welcome to our coverage of Espanyol vs Real Madrid. Kick off is at 4:00 p.m. ET, which is 1:00 p.m. PT and 10:00 p.m. local time in Spain.