Real Madrid staged a remarkable late comeback to secure a 4-3 victory over Roma in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, scoring three times in the final six minutes to snatch victory in a thrilling encounter at the Stadio Olimpico. The match also marked an emotional reunion for Jose Mourinho, who received a warm welcome from Roma supporters following his successful spell in charge of the Italian club.
Roma made a strong start and took a deserved lead in the 20th minute when Marten de Roon fired a powerful long-range effort beyond goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The hosts continued to threaten, with Donyell Malen nearly doubling their advantage after a shot slipped beneath Courtois but was cleared before crossing the goal line.
However, Real Madrid responded through Kylian Mbappe, who capitalised on a defensive error to equalise with a deflected finish. The goal was particularly significant for the French forward, who was making his 100th Champions League appearance at the age of 27. His strike was also his 72nd in the competition, moving him into the tournament's all-time top five scorers ahead of former Madrid star Raul Gonzalez.
Roma came out with renewed intensity after the interval, determined to maintain their attacking approach. The hosts quickly regained the lead when substitute Rodrigo Mora set up Malen, who controlled the ball before lifting it over Courtois to make it 2-1. Malen struck again six minutes later, finishing a through ball to extend Roma’s advantage to 3-1 after a video assistant referee review overturned an initial offside decision.
Real Madrid attempted to fight back, with Mbappe testing goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini and briefly finding the net again, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Despite their efforts, the visitors struggled to break through Roma’s defence until set pieces transformed the contest in the closing stages.
Carlos Espí reignited Madrid’s hopes by converting a rebound after a header from a corner, reducing the deficit to one goal. Just two minutes later, Endrick rose to head home another corner and restore parity, leaving Roma struggling to contain the visitors’ late surge.
The decisive moment arrived in the 90th minute when former Roma defender Antonio Rudiger finished from close range following another corner, completing Madrid’s extraordinary turnaround. All three late goals originated from corners delivered by Arda Güler, whose set-piece quality proved instrumental in the victory.
Mourinho received an emotional reception from Roma supporters, who honoured the Portuguese manager with chants and banners in recognition of his achievements during his two-and-a-half-year spell at the club. His tenure included winning the UEFA Europa Conference League and reaching the Europa League final, making his return to the Stadio Olimpico a memorable occasion despite the disappointing result for the hosts.
The victory gave Real Madrid six points from their opening two Champions League league-phase matches, strengthening their early position in the competition. Roma, meanwhile, remained on one point after letting a two-goal second-half advantage slip away in one of the night's most dramatic encounters.
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