Soulé: Roma threw away victory against Real Madrid with lapses at set pieces

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.