Real Madrid scored three times in the last eight minutes to beat Roma 4-3 at the Stadio Olimpico in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, with Antonio Rüdiger's 90th-minute winner completing a comeback from 3-1 down on José Mourinho's return to his former club.
Donyell Malen's double had put Roma in control, but substitutes Carlos Espí and Endrick scored within three minutes of each other before Rüdiger, a former Roma defender, struck from close range.
Match facts
- Result: Roma 3-4 Real Madrid (half-time 1-1)
- Competition: UEFA Champions League, League Phase, Matchday 2
- Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
- Scorers: Roma - De Roon 20', Malen 51', 57'; Real Madrid - Mbappé 25', Carlos Espí 82', Endrick 85', Rüdiger 90'
- Assists: Roma - Soulé (20', 57'), Rodrigo Mora (51'); Real Madrid - Diomande (25'), Güler (85', 90')
- Red cards: None
- Next: Real Madrid host RB Leipzig on Wednesday 21 October; Roma host Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday 20 October
How the match unfolded
Roma started well, and Thibaut Courtois had to save early efforts from Mario Hermoso and Matías Soulé. Manu Koné went off injured after 17 minutes, replaced by Niccolò Pisilli.
The hosts led in the 20th minute when Marten de Roon, set up by Soulé, drove a right-footed shot from outside the box into the top of the net. Real Madrid answered five minutes later: Yan Diomande headed the ball into Kylian Mbappé's path and he beat Pierluigi Gollini from outside the area.
According to BBC Sport, Mbappé has now scored 72 goals in 100 Champions League appearances, moving clear of Real Madrid great Raúl on 71. Jude Bellingham shot wide in stoppage time and it was 1-1 at the break.
Roma brought on Rodrigo Mora for Paulo Dybala at half-time, and the substitute set up Malen to fire in from the left side of the box in the 51st minute. In the 57th minute Soulé released Malen on a counter-attack and the Dutch striker scored again. That goal was awarded after a VAR review for offside.
Mourinho responded by sending on Endrick and Arda Güler for Vinícius Júnior and Denzel Dumfries. Gollini saved twice from Mbappé and Courtois kept out Mora, before Bernardo Silva, Álvaro Carreras and Espí also came on.
The comeback began from a corner in the 82nd minute. Gollini saved Endrick's header, and Espí, only minutes after coming on, turned in the rebound from close range. That goal was also confirmed after a VAR offside review.
In the 85th minute Güler swung in another corner and Endrick headed it in. Then, in the 90th minute, Güler delivered again from a corner and Rüdiger scored from close range. Gollini saved a late Mbappé effort in five minutes of added time as Madrid held on.
Mourinho's return
Mourinho led Roma to the Europa Conference League title in 2021-22 and to the Europa League final the following season. The home fans displayed several banners celebrating their former coach, one reading "Welcome back Special One", according to BBC Sport.
Madrid now have two wins from two after beating Inter 2-1 on Matchday 1. They also beat Villarreal 1-0 in La Liga last weekend, after Mourinho defended Mbappé's knee recovery in the build-up.
What comes next
Real Madrid host RB Leipzig at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday 21 October, while Roma host Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday 20 October. Elsewhere in Spain's Champions League contingent, Barcelona won 4-1 at Galatasaray on Tuesday.
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