Roma 3–4 Real Madrid: Malen's brilliance in vain as defensive substitutions backfire

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.

Pierluigi Gollini spoke after Roma's defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League, expressing frustration at conceding three set-piece goals despite a dominant display. The goalkeeper acknowledged Roma's control of the match for 80–90 minutes but said the team had paid for a critical weakness. "Ottanta minuti di grandissima Roma, poi?" he began. "Difficile spiegare, fa molto male. Rimane l'amarezza di questa serata, di una partita giocata in maniera sontuosa." He continued: "Sarebbe stata una serata bellissima, per noi e per i nostri tifosi. Siamo venuti a mancare in un particolare, nei calci piazzati. Non ho ancora rivisto i gol sinceramente, ma tutti potevamo fare di più. Ci dispiace, sono bastati tre calci piazzati a rovinare e mandare in fumo una prestazione." Gollini praised Roma's overall approach and said set-piece vulnerability must be addressed urgently. "Una grande Roma, sì," he said of the team's first-half showing. "Ho avuto qualche intervento da fare, ma è normale che arrivino contro squadre del genere. Mi sono sentito molto bene in campo, ho visto una grande Roma fisicamente e tatticamente. Purtroppo siamo mancati in quel fondamentale del gioco del calcio, i calci piazzati, ed è un peccato." Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini told the squad in the dressing room to reflect individually on how each player could improve. Gollini noted that conceding two identical set-piece goals had introduced psychological pressure before the third. "Prendere un gol in quel modo e un altro uguale è normale che subentrino delle paure, magari c'è un pensiero negativo," he explained. "Il fatto di aver preso due gol uguali, al terzo un po' di preoccupazione in più la hai." Looking ahead, Gollini said he approaches each fixture individually: after Como and Real Madrid, he is now focused on the Genoa match. He stressed that the team should carry forward the positive elements of the performance. "Ciò che è stato fatto bene ci deve dare morale, ciò che abbiamo sbagliato rabbia per arrivare più carichi alla prossima."

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 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.

Roma came within seven minutes of a historic upset but Real Madrid completed a stunning collapse of a 3–1 lead to win 4–3 in the second round of the Champions League League Phase at the Olimpico. Roma took control in the second half through Donyell Malen, who scored twice after De Roon's first-half opener; Matías Soulé set up the second goal. Real Madrid had equalized before half-time through Mbappé, who profited from Mario Hermoso's error. But with the score at 3–1 and ten minutes remaining, Madrid's substitutes turned the match. Goals from the bench—including Endrick and defender Espì, plus a decisive strike from Rudiker at the 90th minute—completed an improbable reversal and left Roma empty-handed. The loss mirrors Roma's collapse against Inter in the league, where they also surrendered a commanding position late in the game. Gian Piero Gasperini's side showed the attacking threat and intensity to trouble one of Europe's elite, and Malen's performance—a controlled, powerful display—was the standout. Soulé too drew praise. But the defensive lapses in the final ten minutes proved fatal. Mourinho, Real Madrid's manager, did not celebrate openly but oversaw a comeback that seemed impossible with minutes to go. De Roon opened the scoring in the first half. Mbappé's finesse from distance, deflected by Mancini, brought Real level. In the second half, Malen collected a pass from Rodrigo Mora and struck cleanly past Courtois, then was picked out by Soulé for his second—initially flagged offside but confirmed after a VAR check. Rudiker's goal at the stroke of 90 minutes, from a corner-kick situation, completed the turnaround. The loss carries a bitter lesson for Roma in European competition: everything can shift in moments.

Marten de Roon assessed Roma's performance in the second matchday of the Champions League against Real Madrid, reflecting on a display that started well but ultimately fell short. "It is a great shame," de Roon said. "I think for 70 minutes we played a great match, then their quality came out with fresh players who changed the game. However, we defended well except for the corners." Roma's defending from set plays proved costly in a match where the Giallorossi were competitive through the first hour but could not withstand Real Madrid's second-half push. The introduction of fresh personnel shifted the balance decisively in favour of the visitors, exposing a weakness from which Roma could not recover.

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.

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.

Roma squandered a commanding performance to lose 3–2 to Real Madrid in the Champions League League Phase second matchday at the Stadio Olimpico on 14 October. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini said the club dominated the Spanish side for long stretches but capitulated in a seven-minute spell, conceding three goals from set-pieces. "We completely outclassed them, then we collapsed at the finish line," Gasperini told reporters after the match. "We had conducted the match in a remarkable way. It is regrettable we did not score more goals. They have scored theirs deservedly, from corner kicks, kicking them well and striking them well. For the rest they were certainly not at our level." Gasperini rejected suggestions that Real Madrid had worn Roma down, saying instead that it was the visitors who ran out of steam. "It seems to me that it was they who could not keep going. We could have scored even other goals. We outclassed them in everything," he said. The coach acknowledged that Roma became passive and lacked personality at the decisive moment, allowing Real Madrid to deploy fresh, quick attackers. The seven-minute collapse proved costly despite Roma's superiority across most of the 90 minutes. Gasperini insisted that the final scoreline masked the true nature of the contest and that Roma must learn to see out matches even when ahead, a trait typically shown by elite European sides under pressure. On his tactical decisions, Gasperini said: "Absolutely yes, I would make the same choices. Some substitutions were necessary, like Mancini and Hermoso. But Balerdi and Koulierakis came in. When you have absences in defence you cannot make other types of changes." Regarding injuries, he reported that Manu Koné suffered a muscle elongation and Paulo Dybala had a physical complaint, with other players carrying minor knocks. Gasperini also analysed Roma's weakness on set-pieces, noting that certain teams employ physical strength in such situations. "There is a risk of looking only at those seven minutes, but it is also true that matches must be taken all the way to the end," he said, emphasising that defensive errors at set-piece delivery were systemic rather than purely individual lapses. Gasperini concluded that Roma must digest the disappointment quickly and refocus on the wider picture of their Champions League campaign and domestic commitments ahead.

Roma lost 3–4 to Real Madrid at the Olimpico in a Champions League encounter that saw individual performances prove decisive in a tight contest. Pierluigi Gollini kept Roma competitive for 80 minutes before conceding four goals in a chaotic final stretch, while Donyell Malen emerged as the standout performer for the home side, delivering the kind of display that silences doubters about his form. Marten de Roon scored to level briefly at 3–3, and Rodrigo Mora provided an assist for Malen after replacing Paulo Dybala, who sustained an injury and did not return after half-time. Gianluca Mancini anchored Roma's defence with composure, playing close to Mourinho's influence and demonstrating the calibre expected of a Champions League defender, though he was unfortunate on Mbappé's opening goal. Evan N'Dicka faced a formidable test against Mbappé but stood firm with anticipation and personality, reading play high up the pitch as well as defending. Mario Hermoso made an early save-forcing contribution but read a rebound poorly to allow Mbappé's equaliser—a costly mistake at this level. The backline deteriorated in the closing stages; Konstantinos Koulierakis replaced Hermoso after 81 minutes but Roma conceded three goals after his arrival, with Endrick making a decisive impact once the Spanish defender departed. Manu Koné began as a driving force in midfield, probing Tchouameni's area and threatening Real's defence, but suffered a concerning fall after 15 minutes before being withdrawn. Niccolò Pisilli came on and proved unexpectedly assured, performing with the composure of a veteran despite the elevated intensity. Nahuel Molina showed aggression and attacking intent but committed too many errors, particularly in the final stages, and struggled to maintain defensive discipline. Dybala showcased his full range—combining finesse with grit and initiating Roma's opening-goal sequence with a crucial tackle—before a setback forced his withdrawal at half-time.