Atletico Madrid’s hopes of making a statement on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 La Liga season were dashed in stunning fashion, as Espanyol mounted a late comeback to seal a 2-1 victory in Barcelona. The result leaves Diego Simeone’s side facing early scrutiny despite their heavy summer investment.
Julian Alvarez looked set to be Atletico’s hero after giving the visitors the lead with a brilliant free kick in the 37th minute. The Argentine forward nearly doubled his tally moments later, but his effort rattled the woodwork, a miss that would prove costly as the game wore on.
Espanyol, pinned back for large spells of the contest, showed resilience and patience before finding their breakthrough in the closing stages. Miguel Rubio’s well-timed header drew them level, sending the home crowd into raptures and putting Atletico on the back foot.
Barely minutes later, substitute Pere Milla completed the turnaround with another precise header, this time connecting with Omar El Hilali’s cross. Espanyol’s two-goal salvo within a short span stunned Simeone’s men, who suddenly looked out of ideas in attack.
While Atletico’s marquee signings Johnny Cardoso, Matteo Ruggeri, and Thiago Almada all made their league debuts, their impact was overshadowed by the defensive frailties and lack of cutting edge in the final third. Simeone admitted after the match that the collapse was “a wake-up call,” urging his players to regroup ahead of next weekend’s clash with Elche.
