# Roma Face Real Madrid: Gasperini Settles Squad as Mourinho Returns to Olimpico
Roma will host Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday 14 October at 21:00 in a Champions League League Phase fixture carrying profound emotional weight. José Mourinho, who managed Roma from 2021 to January 2024 and won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022, returns to the stadium where he previously coached as an opponent for the first time. The match marks Roma's first Champions League home fixture in seven years—2,801 days since their last such encounter—following their 1–1 draw with Fenerbahçe in the opening round.
Gian Piero Gasperini has largely settled his squad. Pierluigi Gollini will start in goal after solid performances in Serie A, replacing the injured Mile Svilar, who will be unavailable for approximately one month with a fractured finger. Devis Vásquez has been included in the Champions League squad as backup following the temporary replacement rule. At the back, Gianluca Mancini, Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso form the core defence, though outlets report Leonardo Balerdi is pushing for a starting place and may displace N'Dicka. Devyne Rensch and Nahuel Molina compete for the flanks, with Wesley expected to operate on the right, potentially to contain Vinícius Júnior—a tactical approach Roma previously employed against Inter. In midfield, Marten de Roon and Manu Koné will anchor the team, with Bryan Cristante remaining sidelined from his knee injury. Matías Soulé is expected to return to the starting eleven behind Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen in attack. Malen carries extra responsibility after his red card against Como; he will miss the subsequent fixture against Genoa but remains available for this match.
Konstantinos Koulierakis has recovered from injury and returned to group training on 12 October, making him available for selection, though TeleRadioStereo reports he appears likely to start on the bench. The coverage shows outlets differ slightly on squad numbers—some cite 23 players, others 24—but agreement exists on all key personnel. Real Madrid arrive with their principal attacking assets available, including Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Endrick, with Thibaut Courtois in goal. Only Éder Militão, Raúl Asencio, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo are unavailable. Mourinho has acknowledged the emotional difficulty of his return, stating the match itself will not be normal but that during the ninety minutes he will focus purely on football. Roma's stadium is expected to sell out, with supporters ready to honour Mourinho before and after the match while backing their own team during it. Forza Roma reports the Friedkin Group has invited Francesco Totti to attend, though his presence remains unconfirmed. Gasperini has stressed Roma must not abandon their identity, emphasising that the club should test themselves against Real Madrid's quality while maintaining the aggressive, pressing approach that has defined their recent form.
AI synthesis of all sources below — always check the originals.
