Mourinho's first gift before La Liga: Real Madrid receive help from outside Madrid

What's the story?

Espanyol have suffered a major defensive blow ahead of their clash with Real Madrid. Uruguayan defender Leandro Cabrera will miss the eagerly anticipated meeting between the two sides next Saturday, due to a deferred suspension from last season.

According to Espanyol, Cabrera has begun serving the ban imposed after an incident in last season's match against Getafe. He struck the screen of the video assistant referee (VAR) technology at the end of the game, according to the referee's report, earning a three-match suspension.

His absence from the recent match against Levante had caused a degree of surprise. Cabrera's name appeared in the team's morning list before he was left out of the starting eleven minutes before kick-off, with no prior indication of any injury.

The club appealed the punishment until the very last moments, in an attempt to defer its implementation, but the appeal did not change the decision. That left the Uruguayan defender out of the Levante match, in which Espanyol claimed their first win in La Liga, and he will also miss, barring any surprises, the upcoming clash with Real Madrid.

Against Levante, coach Manolo relied on Riedel alongside Unai Nunez at the heart of the defence. The pair produced a solid performance, helped by the fact that Levante's attack posed no real threat to Dmitrovic's goal. Espanyol's next test will be an entirely different proposition against the attacking power of Real Madrid.

Cabrera's absence looms even larger against Los Blancos, who possess an attacking line led by Kylian Mbappe. The Uruguayan is one of the most experienced heads in Espanyol's defence, having played many matches against the top teams.