Real Madrid produced one of the great European comebacks on Wednesday night, scoring three times in the final six minutes to beat Roma 4-3 at the Stadio Olimpico in the Champions League.
Trailing 3-1 with the match almost gone, the Spanish side struck through Carlos Espi, Endrick and former Roma defender Antonio Rudiger to steal all three points in Rome. The defeat was a cruel one for Roma, who had controlled large parts of the contest.
How the drama unfolded
Roma deserved their half-time lead. Marten de Roon put the home side in front in the 20th minute, finishing smartly to reward a bright start from the Italians.
Real Madrid hit back quickly. Kylian Mbappe punished a defensive error from Mario Hermoso, and his deflected effort levelled the scores. It was the Frenchman’s 100th Champions League appearance, and his 72nd goal in the competition, which took him into the all-time top five scorers, ahead of club legend Raul Gonzalez.
Roma refused to fade. Donyell Malen struck twice early in the second half, first lifting the ball over Thibaut Courtois and then finishing again after a VAR check. At 3-1, the home crowd sensed a famous win, and Real’s reply was initially ruled out when Mbappe strayed offside.
The six-minute turnaround
With time running out, Real Madrid turned to set pieces, and Roma could not hold firm. Espi pulled a goal back from close range to make it 3-2, and the mood inside the stadium shifted.
Endrick then rose to head home from another corner, and suddenly the match was level. The home side were rattled, and there was worse to come. In the 90th minute, Rudiger, who knows this ground well from his Roma days, completed the turnaround to leave the Olimpico in stunned silence.
All three late goals came from corners, a damning detail for Roma’s defenders and a testament to Real Madrid’s belief when the contest seemed lost.
Mbappe’s milestone night
Even in defeat for Roma, the night belonged partly to Mbappe. His equaliser moved him past Raul into the competition’s all-time top five, a landmark that underlines how quickly the Frenchman has climbed the European charts since arriving in Madrid.
Like the game’s greats of European football, including Lionel Messi, whom Cristiano Ronaldo recently saluted after Argentina’s farewell, Mbappe keeps collecting records. At this rate, the top of the list is no longer out of reach. His disallowed offside goal only underlined how much danger he carried all evening.
Mourinho’s bittersweet return
The night carried an emotional charge for Jose Mourinho. The Madrid coach spent two and a half years in charge of Roma, winning the UEFA Conference League and reaching the Europa League final, and the home supporters gave him a warm welcome before kick-off.
He could not have asked for a stranger script. His current club came back from the dead against the club where he is still adored. It was the kind of night that defines a European season, and Mourinho wore both sides of it.
What it means
The victory moved Real Madrid to six points from their first two league-phase matches, a perfect start in the new format. Roma were left on one point, and they will rue letting a two-goal lead slip in the closing minutes at home. It was another reminder of how quickly a European night can turn, as France and Italy showed in the Nations League this season.
Spain’s footballers have also been in strong recent form at international level, and the domestic standard is high. In Europe, the champions know how to win ugly. On Wednesday night in Rome, they won it late, and they won it the hard way.
Sources: Geo Super
