Gasperini: Roma outplayed Real Madrid but collapsed at the finish in 3-4 defeat

Pierluigi Gollini expressed deep disappointment after Roma's defeat to Real Madrid in the second matchday of the Champions League, saying the side's collapse from set pieces had spoiled an otherwise dominant display. Playing against one of Europe's elite, Roma controlled the match for 80 to 90 minutes with a strong physical and tactical performance, but conceded three set-piece goals that undermined all that work. "It is difficult to explain, it hurts a lot," Gollini said. "We played the match in a sumptuous way. It would have been a beautiful evening for us and our fans. We fell short on one detail—set pieces. I haven't watched the goals yet honestly, but we could all have done more. It's a shame; three set pieces were enough to spoil and squander a performance. We are left with the bitterness of this match, despite 80–90% of the game being positive. It's a pity." Gasperini addressed the squad after the final whistle, instructing each player to reflect on what they could have done better. The goalkeeper acknowledged the psychological impact of conceding similar goals in quick succession: "When you concede a goal in that way and another one the same, it's normal that fears set in, perhaps a negative thought. Taking two goals in the same manner means a bit more concern on the third. That's part of football. We know what we need to do—analyse these goals and move on from what we did brilliantly tonight. It would be a pity to throw it away." Gollini emphasized his own contribution: "I felt very good on the pitch. I had to make a few saves, but that's normal against teams of this calibre. I saw a great Roma physically and tactically." Looking ahead, he adopted a day-by-day approach: "After Como I thought about Real Madrid; from tomorrow I think about Genoa. I take it day by day, trying to prepare myself as best I can and give my contribution to help this squad stay high and produce beautiful performances."

Pierluigi Gollini reflected on Roma's loss, expressing the frustration of a difficult evening. The goalkeeper said: "There remains the bitterness of this evening, of a match played in a magnificent manner." Roma surrendered a lead in a European fixture against Real Madrid, conceding four goals in a 3–4 defeat at home. The result follows Gian Piero Gasperini's post-match assessment, in which the head coach stated that Real were "outclassed" and that Roma "planted themselves on the finish line" — suggesting defensive lapses in the closing stages. Coach José Mourinho, meanwhile, described the match as "two-faced," saying Roma "were unable to stop us" late on. Gollini's comments reflect the squad's sense that the performance deserved a better outcome given their dominance for large periods. The loss marks a significant setback in Roma's European campaign this season.

Donyell Malen expressed disappointment after Roma's defeat to Real Madrid in the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League. "There is great disappointment, because we hoped to go forward, but they managed to score," Malen said. He acknowledged Roma's quality but identified areas for improvement: "There is a great connection, we are a great team, but there are things that did not go well, we need to talk about them." The match marked Roma's second outing in the league phase after their opening fixture. Malen reflected on the team's overall performance and the need to analyse what went wrong tactically and in execution to avoid similar outcomes in future matches. When asked about two postcards he received, Malen revealed they were from his grandmother and mother, who told him they had spent good time together and were very proud to see him play in this competition.

Roma squandered a dominant display to lose 4–3 to Real Madrid in the second round of the UEFA Champions League League Phase at Stadio Olimpico on 14 October. The Giallorossi led 3–1 and controlled large stretches of the match but capitulated in the final stages, conceding three goals from corner kicks. Donyell Malen scored twice and created constant danger, earning an 8 rating, but his performance could not prevent Real's turnaround. Gian Piero Gasperini's side began brightly and took the lead through Marten de Roon before Malen and Matías Soulé extended the advantage. Real mounted a second-half comeback that proved fatal to Roma's hopes. The defensive substitutions—Leonardo Balerdi replacing Gianluca Mancini at 63 minutes and Konstantinos Koulierakis entering for Mario Hermoso at 80 minutes—failed to shore up the backline; both changes coincided with the collapse that allowed Real to turn the match around. Koné's early injury at 15 minutes proved costly to Roma's midfield stability, forcing Niccolò Pisilli into action. Wesley earned a 7 rating for tireless full-back play, while De Roon was judged indispensable given the midfield injuries and warranted 7 for both his goal and leadership. Rodrigo Mora came on for Paulo Dybala in the 46th minute after Dybala suffered a muscular problem, contributing 6.5 with an assist for Malen's second goal. Soulé, deployed wide on the right by Gasperini, scored 7 for his performance and the assist that made it 3–1. Lorenzo Pellegrini replaced Soulé at 63 minutes but could not affect the outcome, firing high from a good position. On the defending side, N'Dicka earned 6.5 despite conceding Rudiger's goal, while Hermoso was marked 5.5 for responsibility in Mbappé's opener. Pierluigi Gollini was rated 6, largely unburdened until the final collapse. Gasperini himself received 6, with the assessment noting that Roma's lack of experience and composure under pressure—particularly from set pieces—cost them dearly in the final twenty minutes.

Marten de Roon scored his first AS Roma goal on 14 October in a 3–4 defeat to Real Madrid, a header from outside the area in the 19th minute that arrived deflected by Konaté past Courtois. The 35-year-old's strike set a club record as the oldest goal by a Roma foreign player in the Champions League. De Roon arrived at Roma on 29 August after a decade at Atalanta, and had played three matches — one as a starter — without scoring before facing Madrid. His last Champions League goal came in 2023; he had not scored against a major European side since 2020. The Olimpico defeat left Roma with pride and regret, but the tactical work of the Dutch midfielder dominated the narrative of the evening. Gasperini deployed De Roon to neutralise Real Madrid's midfield triangle of Tchouaméni, Valverde and Bellingham. The midfielder made four tackles — three won — and cut out play repeatedly, following a pattern that had already defined his Serie A debut as a starter against Como, where he completed 84% of his passes (36 of 43) in 122 minutes. De Roon's role shifted tactically when Hermoso advanced on Vinicius: he dropped into a third centre-back position, allowing Mancini and N'Dicka to press Mbappé tightly. The goal itself came from low recovery and a quick exchange with Soulé before De Roon shot from 20 metres — the vertical directness Gasperini has demanded from him for years. The midfielder is contracted until 2028 and is the oldest member of the squad alongside Dybala. He chose Roma over offers from Saudi Arabia, stating he wanted "one last dance in the Champions League". He danced well, Gasperini confirmed, but the dance ended 3–4. For the coach, De Roon proved he is not a luxury reserve but the equilibriser Roma need in Europe, even in defeat.

Roma pushed Real Madrid hard for over an hour at the Olimpico, even taking the lead through Marten de Roon, but conceded four goals and lost the Champions League encounter. The Giallorossi produced attacking play that drew admiration from the home crowd, yet crumbled in the final quarter as Real's substitutes changed the match and corner kicks proved costly. Donyell Malen was outstanding, scoring twice and contributing an assist, while Matías Soulé added a goal and an assist in an attacking display that showcased Roma's creativity in the first half. The collapse overshadowed the performance, and injuries to Manu Koné—who left the field in tears after 16 minutes—and muscular issues for Paulo Dybala added to the frustration. Koné's early exit forced Niccolò Pisilli into a midfield equation that proved difficult to balance, particularly with Bryan Cristante also unavailable. The loss came despite Roma's dominance for long stretches. Pierluigi Gollini made several saves but was helpless against Real's finishing, notably on a Kylian Mbappé header that he failed to hold and left at the feet of Federico Chiesa. Leonardo Balerdi, introduced at the 62nd minute in place of Gianluca Mancini, could not shore up the defence as Real's second-half resurgence overwhelmed the backline. Evan N'Dicka and Mario Hermoso worked hard throughout, but the final quarter unraveled. Malen's performance stood out as galactic—even the Dutch word "galactisch" means galactic. Frustrated by his recent expulsion against Como, he responded with ruthless finishing, bundling in a double and nearly adding a third when he got clear of the entire Real defence, only for a save on the line and fortune to intervene. Soulé opened the scoring inside a minute with intensity and precision, then created multiple openings in the first half before adding a second-half assist. Rodrigo Mora, brought on at the interval, added an assist on his arrival. De Roon fired a missile from deep that brought the Olimpico to its feet. Despite all this, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's substitutions and Real's bench changes proved pivotal, and the Olimpico's collective hope evaporated under corner-kick pressure.