Jose Mourinho returned to his former club and watched his Real Madrid side trail 3-1 before three substitutes rewrote the script in the final ten minutes. Carlos Espi, Endrick and Antonio Rudiger scored between the 83rd and 90th minutes to complete a stunning turnaround at the Stadio Olimpico, according to Al Jazeera. Roma, who had looked set for a famous European night under Gian Piero Gasperini, were left stunned as Madrid collected a 4-3 win in matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League league stage.
Key Moments
- 17′, Early disruption for Roma as Manu Kone is forced off after just 17 minutes, with Niccolo Pisilli coming on to replace him.
- 20′, Roma take the lead through Marten de Roon, who finishes from a Matias Soule assist to put Gasperini’s side in front.
- 25′, Real Madrid level immediately. Kylian Mbappe converts, set up by Yan Diomande, to make it 1-1.
- 51′, Donyell Malen puts Roma back ahead shortly after the restart, tapping home from a Rodrigo Mora pass to make it 2-1.
- 57′, Malen doubles his tally, finishing from a second Soule assist. The goal is confirmed by VAR review at 58 minutes. Roma lead 3-1.
- 59′, Mourinho reacts by withdrawing Vinicius Junior and Denzel Dumfries simultaneously, sending on Endrick and Arda Guler.
- 83′, Carlos Espi, on for just five minutes, pulls one back for Real Madrid to make it 3-2. The goal is confirmed by VAR.
- 85′, Endrick equalizes at 3-3, with Arda Guler claiming the assist. Two goals in two minutes flip the game.
- 90′, Antonio Rudiger heads Madrid in front for the first time, again assisted by Guler. The defender completes the comeback to seal a 4-3 win.
Tactical Breakdown
Roma controlled large portions of this match. Gasperini’s 3-4-2-1 gave them 54% possession and 471 accurate passes, and in Malen and Soule they had the two best individual performers on the pitch for much of the night. Soule, operating as a creative midfielder, registered two assists before being withdrawn at 63 minutes, while Malen was relentless in behind, converting twice from close range. Roma’s expected goals figure of 1.51 does not fully capture how comfortable they looked at 3-1.
The match turned entirely on Mourinho’s triple substitution. The withdrawal of Vinicius Junior at the hour mark was the most significant call: Vinicius had been ineffective and, according to en.as.com, furious at being taken off, but the move freed up space for Endrick and Guler to attack. Guler, on for 31 minutes, produced two assists in what was the defining cameo of the game. Carlos Espi, introduced at the 78th minute, needed only five minutes to score. Three substitutes had combined to score three goals in seven minutes.
Roma’s defending in the closing stages was poor. Gasperini had made five changes of his own, including replacing the booked Gianluca Mancini at 63 minutes, but the fresh legs could not prevent the collapse. Having conceded 3.0 goals at the death in a match they led by two, Roma will have serious questions to answer. The Guardian described it as a ‘crazy comeback’ for Mourinho on his return to the Olimpico.
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Verdict
Real Madrid have now won both of their UEFA Champions League league stage matches, completing a four-goal comeback that few would have predicted at the 60-minute mark. For Roma, this was a painful loss after a night when they looked fully capable of causing an upset. Their six points from two matches in the Champions League give Madrid momentum heading into the next round of fixtures, while Gasperini’s side must pick themselves up from a late collapse that will sting.