Alex Calatrava ends Espanyol’s 32-year wait with first La Liga goal against Real Madrid

Alex Calatrava created a rare piece of La Liga history for Espanyol by scoring his first goal in the competition against Real Madrid during Saturday’s opening-round match.

The Espanyol midfielder struck in the 30th minute to level the score at 1-1, after Jude Bellingham had given Real Madrid the lead only nine minutes into the game.

Calatrava’s goal was his first in La Liga, but its significance went beyond simply opening his account in Spain’s top flight. He became the latest Espanyol player to score their first La Liga goal against Real Madrid.

The previous occasion came more than 32 years ago. On 15 October 1994, Bulgarian forward Velko Yotov scored his first goal in the competition for Espanyol against Real Madrid, according to statistics from Mister Chip.

The sequence was highlighted in a post on social media, which noted:

ESP 1-1 RMA (30′) – Alex Calatrava ha marcado su primer gol en La Liga contra el Real Madrid. El ultimo jugador perico que se estreno como goleador en la maxima categoria contra el conjunto blanco fue el bulgaro Velko Iotov, el 15.10.1994.pic.twitter.com/Di9IiV3TUW

Calatrava’s strike therefore repeated a landmark last seen during the 1994-95 campaign, when Yotov achieved the same feat for Espanyol against the Spanish giants.

Real Madrid had made the faster start at the beginning of Saturday’s fixture, with Bellingham scoring after nine minutes to put his side in front. His goal provided an early advantage at the start of Jose Mourinho’s second spell as manager.

Espanyol responded through Calatrava 21 minutes later, restoring parity and ensuring that the opening match of the season included a notable personal milestone for the midfielder.

For Calatrava, the goal marked the beginning of his La Liga scoring record. For Espanyol, it revived a rare statistical connection between the club’s players and Real Madrid: the last Espanyol footballer to open his account in the top division against Real Madrid had been Yotov in 1994.

The comparison means Calatrava’s goal will be remembered not only for its immediate effect on the scoreline, but also for ending the longest gap between the two events. After Yotov’s goal on 15 October 1994, no Espanyol player had again scored their first La Liga goal against Real Madrid until Calatrava did so on Saturday.

With the match level following the 30th-minute equaliser, Calatrava’s contribution gave Espanyol a significant moment in the first round of the competition while adding his name to an unusual La Liga record.