Full match player ratings below:
Thibaut Courtois—6: Saw very little action, making one save on the night.
Lucas Vazquez—6: Got up and down the flank, providing three key passes. Struggled in transition and looked his age when trying to sprint back.
Tchouameni—5: Looked leg-heavy with his movement at center-back. Had some nervy moments and failed to instill confidence in that role.
Rudiger—N/A: Picked up a hamstring injury in the first half and was replaced.
Fran Garcia—6.5: Kept it simple on the ball and made several off-ball runs and overlaps to help provide a threat.
Fede Valverde—6: Positioned well from a “rest defense” perspective, helping to keep Espanyol pinned. Acted as a double pivot with Dani Ceballos. Held some blame for the late goal conceded, giving too much space to Romero.
Dani Ceballos—6: Did well trying to link play but struggled to contain Espanyol’s counterattacks.
Jude Bellingham—4: A non-factor with limited impact.
Rodrygo—6.5: Did what he could from the right wing: three key passes, three completed dribbles, and hit the post.
Vinicius Junior—4: His game did not gel with his teammates, and outside of a few moments of individual quality, he did not leave his mark on the match.
Kylian Mbappe—4: Like the rest of the offense, he provided little spark and rarely threatened.
Substitutes
Raul Asencio—7: Composed and confident playing left center-back for most of the match.
Luka Modric—5: Looked a step slow and lost the ball on the sequence that led to the goal conceded.
Brahim Diaz—N/A: Entered in the 87th minute with no time to make a difference.
