Espanyol vs Real Madrid: La Liga – prediction, lineups, teams

Who: Espanyol vs Real Madrid What: Spain's La Liga Where: RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain When: Saturday, August 22, at 9: 30pm local time (19: 30 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the buildup from 16: 30 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream.

Key points

• This will be the 202nd session between the clubs with Real Madrid winning 119 of the encounters and Espanyol claiming the spoils on 46 occasions.
• Mourinho's Madrid eventually concluded their rivals' domestic dominance by winning the title in 2011-12 with a record 100 points.
• The supercomputer of Opta, the sports analysts, rates Real Madrid as massive favourites with a win probability of 62.4 percent to Espanyol's 15.6 percent.
• Kike Garcia (hamstring), Javi Puado (knee) and Leandro Cabrera (suspended) all miss out for Espanyol.
• Mourinho's first Madrid spell was defined by his rivalry with Pep Guardiola and a Barcelona side that dominated Spanish football.

Jose Mourinho's second spell at Real Madrid begins in Barcelona this weekend in La Liga – but at Espanyol rather than up against his and Los Blancos' bitter rivals.

Meanwhile, the veteran Portuguese coach returns to the club 16 years after first being appointed but charged with a similar task, deposing Barcelona as the leading club in Spain.

After two seasons without winning a major trophy steered president Florentino Perez back to him, mourinho is additionally aiming to restore some of the intensity and attitude that defined his first Madrid reign, from 2010-13. Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at Real's curtain call. What led to Mourinho's return to Real Madrid?

For context, the 15-time European champions have suffered dressing room turbulence, with tensions between players and a succession of coaches unable to find a convincing balance on the pitch.

None of Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso or Alvaro Arbeloa could fit together the team's attacking stars – Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham – without compromising the team defensively.

Perhaps disciplinarian Mourinho might be the man to create it work, to turn superstars into willing runners without dulling their attacking edge.

Mourinho notes he returns as a different coach, more mature after years of experience in England, Italy, Turkiye and elsewhere.

Although he insisted he was not "more boring", "I'm much more mature, less emotional, and more in control. As always, learning from mistakes, " remarked the 63-year-old this week.

Mourinho created clear from his first days back at Madrid's Valdebebas training ground what he wants from his team.

"I am here. To create a culture of work, responsibility, ambition, " remarked Mourinho, describing his role as a "mission". What transfer business have Real Madrid done in the summer?

Perez has certainly given Mourinho the ammunition he needs to catch up with Barca.

Los Blancos spent heavily this summer, making Ivorian winger Yan Diomande their record signing at 140 million euros ($163m) and bringing in Bernardo Silva and Marc Cucurella among a series of high-profile arrivals.

Nevertheless, some would argue that in not signing Rodri – who they were linked with before he joined rivals Barcelona – Madrid have not reinforced sufficiently in midfield.

Diomande's arrival adds yet another major attacking threat to a squad that already boasts plenty of them. It may be former Manchester City midfielder David Silva who proves the more significant signing when it comes to balance.

Madrid have spent years trying to move on from the era of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, whose ability to control matches allowed the forwards great freedom and reduced the team's exposure to relentless opposition attacks.

Silva is not a direct replacement for either, but his technical quality gives Mourinho an option for solving a difficulty that has persisted since their departures.

Whether he will be enough to offer Madrid a foothold in the biggest games, including against Hansi Flick's double defending Spanish champions, remains to be seen. How did Mourinho's first Real Madrid spell play out?

Clasicos became increasingly bitter during his time in Madrid, with touchline confrontations, accusations of refereeing bias and a succession of heated encounters making the rivalry increasingly dark and compelling.

This season Madrid visit Barcelona in late October in the first Clasico of the campaign, already eagerly awaited.

Between now and then, starting at Espanyol on Saturday, Mourinho has two months to obtain his team fit, firing and most importantly, all on the same page.

For context, the supercomputer of Opta, the sports analysts, rates Real Madrid as massive favourites with a win probability of 62.4 percent to Espanyol's 15.6 percent.

Edu Exposito (muscle) faces a late fitness test after the opening day 3-0 win against Levante. Dmitrovic; El-Hilali, Riedel, Nunez, Hinojo; Gonzalez, Lozano; Calatrava, Hernandez, Dolan; Fernandez.

Real have a long list of absentees for their season opener with Eder Militao (muscle), Rodrygo (knee), Raul Asencio (thigh), Ferland Mendy (hip), Endrick (muscle) and Aurelien Tchouameni (muscle) all missing out.

Jude Bellingham's match fitness is due to be assessed and a place on the bench may be forthcoming. Courtois; Dumfries, Huijsen, Konate, Cucurella; Valverde, Bernardo; Diaz, Guler, Vinicius; Mbappe.

In short, espanyol vs Real Madrid: La Liga is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.