Espanyol Stuns Atlético Madrid 2-1 in LaLiga Opener at Cornella

In a thrilling LaLiga season opener on August 17, 2025, Espanyol secured a 2-1 victory over Atlético Madrid at the Livens Jean Louis stadium in Cornella, Spain. Despite a brilliant early goal by Atlético's Julián Álvarez, Espanyol mounted a comeback in the second half, with goals from Miguel Rubio and Pere Milla sealing the win.

Álvarez opened the scoring with a spectacular free-kick in the 37th minute, giving Atlético an early advantage. However, Espanyol responded strongly in the second half. Miguel Rubio equalized in the 73rd minute, and Pere Milla then scored the decisive goal at the 84th minute, completing the turnaround and handing Atlético their opening defeat of the 2025-26 LaLiga campaign.

Atlético head coach Diego Simeone expressed his team's disappointment after the loss, stating that the team was 'hurt' by the result especially after failing to capitalize on Álvarez's impressive strike. The defeat raised immediate questions about Atlético's start to the season, with pundits and former players critiquing the team's performance and strategy.

Espanyol's resilience and effective squad rotation paid dividends, as their players executed a tactical plan to overcome Atlético's initial dominance. The home crowd at the Livens Jean Louis stadium celebrated emphatically as Espanyol took all three points, marking a hopeful start for the club in LaLiga 2025-26.

Key moments included Atlético's Johnny Cardoso receiving a yellow card and several attempts from both sides to extend their scoring, but Espanyol's defense, together with goalkeeper efforts, ultimately secured the win. Atlético stars such as Antoine Griezmann and Leandro Cabrera were active but could not influence the scoreline in favor of their team.

This result sends a strong message to the league that Espanyol is determined to make a significant impact this season, while Atlético will be looking to regroup and improve in their upcoming fixtures.