Roma prepare to face Real Madrid with special welcome for Mourinho

José Mourinho will face AS Roma for the first time since his sacking in January 2024 when Real Madrid visit the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday 14 October at 21:00 for the second matchday of the Champions League league phase. Mourinho, who led Roma to the UEFA Europa Conference League title in 2022 and a Europa League final defeat in Budapest the following year, acknowledged the emotional weight of his return. "For ninety minutes we are opponents, but if they want to give me a special greeting I would also like to embrace the Roma fans," he said at his pre-match press conference. "Before the match it won't be normal, even arriving at the airport or at the stadium, in this press conference, walking down the corridor hasn't been normal. Never in the ninety minutes will it be." Mourinho framed Roma as one of Serie A's strongest teams alongside Inter Milan, whom Real Madrid beat in their opening Champions League fixture. "They are motivated to play Champions League at the Olimpico, in front of a crowd that does not just come to watch the match but to play," he explained. He stressed his ability to separate emotion from competition: "I will give everything. Before and after perhaps it will touch my heart, but during the match there is no room for doubt. The Roma fans will want to win and Real Madrid will want to win. In those moments you have to forget about emotions." Mourinho also responded to questions about his affection for Roma's supporters, saying he had won their trust by remaining himself and prioritizing the interests of the team and players above his own. "Roma fans are special; I have worked at many clubs but Roma fans are without doubt very special," he added. Real Madrid's sporting philosophy drew comparison when asked about Gian Piero Gasperini. Mourinho said: "If I manage to forget which stadium I am in, who I am playing against, and I am trying to prepare this match that way and I will do it during the game, I think it can be a contest like any other." He addressed squad rotation at right-back, noting he had felt the need to change position for Fede Valverde against Villarreal "without wasting a substitution," because a player of Valverde's quality could operate at multiple positions. On Vinícius Júnior's early-season form, Mourinho said: "It hurt my heart to see Vini in this situation. Every day he is happy, works hard, but so far he has not yet found the joy of being decisive this year. Let's see if in the Champions League, since he is suspended in the league, he can return to being the true Vini." Aurélien Tchouaméni told the press Real Madrid had started the Champions League well by beating Inter and were determined to continue collecting points. "I like how Roma play very much and I know that tomorrow's match will be difficult, also because we will play away from home," he said. "I think we have enough quality to win the match and that is what we will try to do." Tchouaméni declined to discuss contentious decisions in Real Madrid's weekend match against Villarreal, stating: "We are very frustrated because of these decisions, but the most important thing was winning that match. We think about moving forward."

A contact between Wesley and Diao during the Como-Roma match sparked debate, but referee Fabbri ruled no foul had occurred. Serie A published Ref Cam footage from the fixture on their Instagram profile, showing the official's explanation of the incident. In the video, Fabbri addresses the contact between Diao and Wesley, stating: "He does everything to avoid taking him, at most their legs touch. He also jumps." The footage provides insight into the reasoning behind the on-field decision that allowed play to continue without penalty.

José Mourinho will return to the Stadio Olimpico on 14 October at 21:00 as Real Madrid manager to face Roma in a Champions League fixture. The Portuguese coach, who managed Roma between 2021 and 2024, will be in the opposing dugout against Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Mourinho presented the match at a press conference held at the Olimpico, acknowledging the significance of the encounter and reflecting on his previous experience with the club and its supporters. Mourinho praised Roma's strength and readiness for the occasion. He stated: "Roma is a strong team motivated by playing a match at the Olimpico. They have a public that does not come to watch, but comes to play. We must play well to earn points. The opponent is important; it is not yet the moment of Champions League pressure, of do-or-die, we have many matches to play, but we put the pressure on ourselves." He positioned both Roma and Inter as the two strongest sides in the league and suggested that both Roma and Real Madrid will qualify for the next phase of the competition. Mourinho also expressed his emotional readiness, saying: "Inter and Roma at this moment are the best in the league. Without doubt they are the two strongest teams. Coming back here… I am ready, I am well, I am balanced, solid. Without doubt during the match I will give everything. Then perhaps before or after my heart will race, but during the match there is no room for doubt. Roma fans want to win and so do we; in that moment there is no room for love." When asked about his relationship with Real Madrid, Mourinho laughed off suggestions that their initial period together had ended, stating: "And is this a honeymoon?!" He addressed questions about refereeing in European competition, saying: "I trust all referees. The only thing that makes me raise an eyebrow is when you know the referee's name a day before or three weeks before." On the topic of a recent Villarreal match, Mourinho declined to comment in detail, saying: "Look at just one minute of the Villarreal match; for those who know, the first minute is enough." He also explained a tactical decision regarding Valverde: "On the bench we have many offensive solutions. I felt the need to change the right-back. I did not want to waste a substitution and thought that Valverde in that moment could make the difference. Valverde as a right-back is a specific situation." The Champions League league phase continues with Roma seeking points in their campaign to reach the knockout stages.

Angelo Di Livio has criticized Roma for wasting another significant opportunity in their match at Como. Speaking to Retesport, the former player said: "The Roma threw away another big chance at Como, I saw a really good team. If the giallorossi had gone ahead they would have won the match. In the second half not even a pin could pass through. In the first half the giallorossi team deserved to go ahead but once again they were not clinical in front of goal. Winning at Como would have been a great result, so this is not good." Di Livio highlighted Roma's finishing as the key problem, particularly after a missed opportunity by Paulo Dybala. He stated: "If Dybala doesn't score, Malen becomes a problem. I don't want to criticize the Argentine for the missed goal at Como, but the team lost another big chance because in the first half they could have been ahead." He suggested tactical changes for the second half, saying he would have played long balls to Santiago Castro instead of keeping Dybala on the pitch. Di Livio also questioned the management of Rodrigo Mora and Castro, noting that Castro will play against Genoa but expressing concern about his fitness given limited playing time. On Lorenzo Pellegrini's performance, he offered praise: "He played an important match, he got into the thick of the action and almost scored. He gave a good signal, like all the others who hadn't played much such as De Roon and Gollini."

Referee Michael Fabbri has clarified his decision not to award a penalty for contact between Wesley and Como forward Diao in the first-half stoppage time of last weekend's 0–0 draw at the Sinigaglia. Serie A released footage from Fabbri's RefCam microphone on YouTube, in which the official explains his reasoning: "He does everything not to take it, they just touch legs at most. He even jumps." Diao went down after minimal contact with the Roma defender, but Fabbri allowed play to continue without hesitation. The incident has become a focal point of post-match discussion despite the goalless result between two squads capable of providing spectacle on paper. Como manager Fabregas argued in his post-match comments that the challenge warranted a red card, a much harsher assessment than Fabbri's on-field judgment. The referee's decision-making in the match also drew attention for Donyell Malen's 53rd-minute red card for a challenge on Kaiki, which Fabbri judged as a dismissible offense.

Roma will host Real Madrid at Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday in their first UEFA Champions League fixture at the ground in over six years. Gian Piero Gasperini has led the Giallorossi back to Europe's elite competition for the first time since 2018–19, but their league-phase campaign has stuttered. After a dramatic 1–1 draw with Fenerbahce on matchday one, Roma extended their winless run in European football to four matches (three draws, one loss). They beat Torino 2–0 in Serie A but have since drawn back-to-back league games against Como and Inter, though they notably held a scoreless stalemate at Como on Saturday despite playing with a numerical disadvantage. The Olimpico has not hosted a Champions League match since February 2019, and Roma will need to reverse a troubling home record in continental competition—five defeats across their last five European outings in Rome (two wins overall). However, Gasperini's side remain unbeaten across their last eight competitive games at the stadium (six wins, two draws) stretching back to late March, and have scored at least two goals in their last five home matches. Roma have won only three of their 14 meetings with Real Madrid (one draw, eight losses) and will seek to avenge a 2–0 defeat here in November 2018. Real Madrid, managed by Jose Mourinho—who won the UEFA Conference League with Roma in 2021–22—have dominated Italian opposition in the Champions League, winning 19 of their last 21 clashes against Serie A sides (two losses). They opened their league-phase campaign with a 2–1 win over Inter and have lost only one match in the Champions League main draw under Mourinho (15 wins, three draws), though their recent away form has been inconsistent: four losses in their last eight Champions League away games (four wins). Los Blancos have beaten Roma in five of their six away European showdowns at the Olimpico in the 21st century (one loss), scoring at least two goals in each victory. Summer signing Yan Diomande scored his maiden La Liga goal in a 1–0 win over Villarreal, a response to a 2–1 derby defeat at Atlético Madrid on the international break. Gasperini will have his full Roma squad available except goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who is struggling with a toe injury; Pierluigi Gollini is expected to start in his place. Donyell Malen is expected to lead the line despite picking up a red card against Como at the weekend. Real Madrid will be without Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo, and Raul Asencio. Former Roma defender Dean Huijsen returns after serving a domestic suspension but should start on the bench, with Ibrahima Konate likely to partner Antonio Rudiger in defence.