Roma fans create 131-decibel roar to Venditti's anthem as Real Madrid visit Olimpico

Kylian Mbappé and Manu Koné shared a moment of levity in the tunnel at the Olimpico shortly before kick-off in Roma's match against Real Madrid. The French striker gave his France national team colleague and Roma midfielder a playful push as both led children onto the pitch—a gesture caught on camera that was entirely good-natured between two players who know each other well and have built a strong bond over time. Among the youngsters was Leonardo Cerci, son of Alessio Cerci, the former Roma player who joined the club's academy last year. Mbappé himself later explained the moment to DAZN Spain's cameras, clarifying that there was no provocation involved, only a joke between two friends of long standing. The light-hearted exchange reflected the genuine rapport between the two midfield talents, who have spent time together at international level. The mood shifted sharply when Koné suffered a muscular problem during the match and was forced to leave the field in tears after just 17 minutes. Mbappé was among the first to check on his teammate's condition, a touching gesture amid what became a difficult evening for Roma. What had promised to be a starring performance from the French forward transformed into a night tempered by concern for an injured Roma player.

Real Madrid won 4-3 against Roma on 14 October in a match that carried special significance for José Mourinho, who returned to Stadio Olimpico as an opponent for the first time since his spell in charge of the club. Roma supporters demonstrated their affection for the former manager with dedicated banners honouring him throughout an intense encounter. After the final whistle, Mourinho greeted three Roma players — Gianluca Mancini, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala — in conversation in the plaza outside Stadio Olimpico near the team coaches.

Roma squandered a 3–1 lead with eight minutes remaining to lose 4–3 to Real Madrid on 14 October, prompting sharp criticism from radio pundits across Rome's airwaves. The collapse began at 3–2, according to Daniele Lo Monaco, when mental fatigue replaced physical exhaustion. "Roma was in panic," he said on Radio Romanista. "In panic you make disasters. Once you concede at 3–2 and think you might go 3–3, then you do, then you think you might go 4–3, then you do. But if Real Madrid had taken ten corners, you'd have lost 10–3 tonight, because there was no mental clarity." Key absences shaped the narrative: Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala both left the pitch injured during the match, weakening Roma's midfield and attacking threat in the final stretch. David Rossi highlighted the squad's structural weakness, stating: "The most serious thing yesterday was we left Koné and Dybala on the field. If you have four midfielders for a 50-match season, that's a conceptual mess. Pisilli cannot be Koné's replacement—they are two different players." Roberto Pruzzo described the late defensive failures as "a festival of errors," comparing the collapse to Roma's historic loss to Juventus. Mario Mattioli blamed Gasperini's substitutions, arguing that changing defenders with ten minutes left in such a tense fixture destabilized the team. "Bringing Koulierakis on with seven minutes to go wasn't a sensible move," he said. "He was late for every goal." Not all voices were critical of the broader direction. Tiziano Moroni insisted Gasperini remained the right fit despite the setback: "Convinced as I am, even with the bitterness, that Gasperini is the right coach for Roma in this situation given our economic capacity. I would never trade places with Mourinho. In a growth process, Gasperini is my hope." Francesca Ferrazza expressed greater anger at dropped points against Inter and Como in league play, calling yesterday's loss valuable for development. Alessio Nardo warned of psychological damage: "The fear is there will be repercussions at a mental level. Genoa will arrive revitalized after beating Fiorentina." Roma face Genoa on Saturday seeking to recover from the mental blow. Piero Torri said the squad would likely field Santiago Castro, Matías Soulé and Rodrigo Mora in attack with Koné and Dybala sidelined pending medical tests. The uncertainty over their availability will shape Gasperini's selection and his team's approach to regaining confidence.