21-time tennis Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, a huge Real Madrid fan, took an honorary kick-off on the Bernabeu pitch.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Real Madrid in control and on course for a 35th Spanish title.

Video Assistant Refereepublished at 45 + 3 mins

45 + 3 mins

Real Madrid 2-0 Espanyol

There is a break in play for a VAR check for a possible penalty after the ball smashed into Lucas Vazquez's arm as he blocked a cross from point-blank range.

Nothing given though. And rightly so.

Real Madrid are enjoying themselves.

They steam forward in numbers again and the ball is laid across for Marcelo, who slices a shot wide from the edge of the box.

Three minutes to be added on.

Mariano Diaz is booked for catching Leandro Cabrera with an elbow while competing for an aerial challenge. It looked accidental, but no less painful.

Luka Modric plays a low in-swinging corner to the near post that hits the back of Jesus Vallejo and goes wide.

Rodrygo then needs some treatment after a Espanyol cross from the right smacks him right in the face.

Real Madrid have come alive now.

Mariano Diaz goes on a mazy run into the area but a combination of three Espanyol players converge to clear.

Marco Asensio is claiming a free kick on the edge of the box after running straight into Leandro Cabrera.

The referee is having none of it.

Marcelo doesn't score many, so his effort from distance was always going to be ambitious.

The Brazilian curls in an shot from the edge of the penalty area that Diego Lopez claims on the bounce.

It's all got a bit scrappy.

Thibaut Courtois is guilty of a loose clearance that goes straight to Yangel Herrera, but his attempted cross into the box is poor and Jesus Vallejo is able to clear.

Espanyol enjoying plenty of the ball though. There's not been much intensity from Real Madrid so far.

Luka Modric is pulling the strings. The 36-year-old lofts a lovely ball into the area for Mariano Diaz, who heads wide.

Oooh, Raul de Tomas stings the palms of Thibaut Courtois with a fizzing effort from distance.

That came out of nowhere.

Eduardo Camavinga plays a searching ball over the top looking for Mariano Diaz but Diego Lopez is quick off his line to claim.

Apologies for the delay. Gremlins in the system. Things are back up and running though.

You have not missed any goals - though Mariano Diaz came close to scoring when his close range header came off the post.

We are under way at the Bernabeu.

Some sad news to bring you before kick-off. Mino Raiola, the agent who represented some of football's most high-profile players, has died at the age of 54.

The Dutch-Italian's stable of players included Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba and AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

For more on this story head over here.

Espanyol have not win at the Bernabeu since 1996.

Changes of that record changing here? Here come the teams.