Real Madrid is not short of players with superior physiques. Denzel Dumfries, Dean Huijsen, Ibrahima Konate or Jude Bellingham are all strong, but Espi is special in that he can turn the advantage of physique into a direct attacking option. The 1m93 tall striker only needed 11 minutes on the field to make a difference in the 2-1 victory over Espanyol.
Espi's goal is even more noteworthy because he did not need a header to take advantage of his physique. This striker handled the ball skillfully, kept balance well in the penalty area and created space himself before finishing.
In football, a center forward with superior physique always brings an additional attack option. When the team needs to speed up, put the ball directly into the penalty area or put pressure on the opponent's defense, the presence of a tall player can make a difference.
Even Pep Guardiola used to use Gerard Pique in the striker position when Barcelona needed a breakthrough solution. Therefore, Jose Mourinho's addition of a player like Espi is not simply to add depth to the attack but also to help him have an additional approach to the game.
Real Madrid spent 25 million Euros to recruit Espi in the context of Gonzalo Garcia moving to Fulham for 40 million Euros. Espi may not be the highest-rated striker at the Bernabeu, but physique is a quality that other options do not have at the same level.
However, the victory against Espanyol also shows that Mourinho still has many other problems to solve. Real Madrid possesses a talented squad but has not created the necessary understanding, partly because many new players do not have enough time to play together.
The way Los Blancos' defense allowed Alex Calatrava to score is a clear example. Real Madrid's defense organization is still uncertain and Mourinho clearly also realizes the problem.
In attack, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe have not created much influence. Mourinho understands the style of these two players, but the challenge lies in creating a balanced system for Vinicius and Mbappe to maximize their abilities together.
The midfield area also poses its own problem. Bernardo Silva and Fede Valverde can both take on many roles, but neither of them brings the same balance as Aurelien Tchouameni in the defensive midfielder position.
Mourinho must find a way to connect the new pieces. When the entire squad is healthy, he will have to decide how to use Yan Diomande, Bellingham and Arda Guler alongside the stars who already have relatively clear positions.
Bellingham makes the problem even more interesting when he has only returned to training for about 10 days but has shown impressive form. Arda Guler is also competing for a starting spot, while Yan Diomande can bring more options in attack.
The White Vultures" have too many quality players for Mourinho to choose from, but that richness also makes building a balanced squad complicated. Espi has shown his value as soon as given the opportunity, and the remaining task belongs to Mourinho: finding a way to make all the pieces fit together.
