Mourinho hails neighbour Carlos Espí after late LaLiga winner | OneFootball

Mourinho hailed neighbour Carlos Espí after the Valencian forward came off the bench to grab Real Madrid’s winner on the Portuguese’s LaLiga bow.

According to Superdeporte, Espí needed 10 minutes to open his LaLiga account for Madrid, having entered on 80 minutes to tilt a tight contest.

Mourinho said the striker fits the profile Madrid need in such matches and, up close, is great company. He noted they are often together in Valdebebas, regularly sharing meals with his staff and Cucurella.

He added that while Espí is living a dream, he works extremely hard for the team and contributed more than just the decisive goal.

The pair exchanged a warm embrace on the pitch after full-time, underlining a bond formed in only a few weeks since Mourinho approved the forward’s arrival.

In the dressing room, Jude Bellingham joked that Espí had finished in the mould of Joselu, while Thibaut Courtois called him a real handful and said he is struck by his battles with powerful defenders like Konaté or Rúdiger.

Espí offers a different option to Madrid’s other forwards, using his physique to pin centre-backs and provide a reference when opponents sit deep. That was one of the reasons the club moved for him this summer.

Source: Superdeporte

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