Real Madrid would be 10 points behind Barcelona without their unsung hero

Real Madrid have had a mixed start to the 2026-27 season, winning most of their games but also losing a couple and finding themselves six points behind Barcelona in September.

Some performances from Jose Mourinho’s team were convincing, while some required late rescue acts to help secure victory.

Carlos Espi has barely featured for Los Blancos this season. Somehow, the 20-year-old has still managed to have a major influence on their La Liga campaign.

According to Diario AS, Espi has played only 26 of Madrid’s 720 available minutes this season, just 3.6 percent. Yet he has scored twice, directly earning four league points.

He was only centimetres away from adding another goal against Real Betis, a game in which Madrid dropped points.

26 minutes, two goals, four points

Mourinho has never given Espi more than 10 minutes in a match.

He played 10 against Espanyol, four against Real Sociedad, eight against Betis, one against Inter and three against Elche. Against Malaga, Rayo Vallecano and Atletico Madrid, he did not feature at all.

Carlos Espi has provided a massive impact in a short time at Real Madrid. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Despite this, Espi has somehow become Madrid’s emergency specialist. His 90th-minute goal against Espanyol turned a draw into a 2-1 victory. Against Elche, he struck in the 91st minute to secure another dramatic win.

His impact could have been even greater. Espi also found the net against Betis, only for the goal to be ruled out for an extremely tight offside.

This is what makes it extremely surprising that Mourinho did not bring him on against Atletico Madrid despite having an unused substitute window.

Having halved the deficit late in the game through an Antonio Rudiger header, logic suggested that it was Espi’s perfect entry point.

Instead, Mourinho chose to leave the Spaniard on the bench despite what he has done so far this campaign, seeing his team drop points at the Metropolitano.

Without Espi, Madrid would be 10 points behind

Espi’s impact is explained best when those decisive goals are removed.

Without Espi’s contributions against Espanyol and Elche, Madrid would have 11 league points rather than 15.

Carlos Espi deserves more than just 26 minutes for his performances. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Instead of sitting six points behind Barcelona, Mourinho’s team would be sixth and 10 points away from the leaders.

That is an extraordinary return from someone who has played just 3.6 per cent of Madrid’s season. Espi has rarely even been used as a direct replacement for Kylian Mbappe.

Mourinho usually introduces him for a midfielder when Madrid desperately need a goal, adding another physical presence inside the penalty area.

So far, Espi has delivered. However, his road to becoming a starter looks almost non-existent. Mbappe remains the centrepiece of Madrid’s attack.

However, 26 minutes for producing four points should earn something. At the very least, it should earn Carlos Espi more than 26 minutes.