Wesley praises Mourinho's endorsement after standout Roma display against Real Madrid

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.

Rodrigo Mora has praised Wesley for playing a central role in his integration into the Roma squad following his arrival at the club. Speaking to TNT Sports after Roma's match against Real Madrid, the Portuguese midfielder highlighted Wesley's importance in helping him settle, particularly because they share a common language. "He was the one who helped me most when I arrived at Roma, also because he speaks Portuguese like me," Mora said. Mora's swift adaptation to the club's international environment reflects the multilingual nature of Roma's dressing room. The midfielder drew on his experience at Porto, where he had played alongside numerous Brazilian players and formed strong relationships with them. His comments underline how crucial those early connections have been to his transition to Italian football. Mora offered a broader message of gratitude to the squad: "I thank Wesley and the whole team for welcoming me so well. Now we must continue on this path." His remarks confirm that Mora has integrated smoothly into a cosmopolitan squad, with his partnership with Wesley proving particularly influential from his opening days at the club.

Roma hosted Real Madrid in a Champions League fixture at the Olimpico featuring a tactical contest that saw the giallorossi control the game for the opening hour before succumbing to late changes by José Mourinho. Gasperini deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation with Matías Soulé replacing Lorenzo Pellegrini, Wesley at right-back and Nahuel Molina on the left, while Madrid operated in a 4-2-3-1. Roma's intensity and two-touch football allowed them to dominate territorially and recover possession effectively through midfield pressure from Manu Koné and Marten de Roon. The giallorossi created multiple chances with striking ease and took a deserved lead through a goal that emerged from Paulo Dybala's sliding recovery challenge, exemplifying their determination throughout the opening period. Real Madrid's defensive structure was described as poor, with Kylian Mbappé creating danger through quick transitions despite the hosts' superior control. Roma doubled their advantage early in the second half when Rodrigo Mora set up Donyell Malen for a second goal, with Koné again instrumental in winning the ball in midfield. The lead lasted only briefly, however, before Real Madrid equalised—Mario Hermoso's poor clearance in a duel allowing Mbappé to punish the error. Koné departed injured and was replaced by Niccolò Pisilli, while Dybala also left the pitch injured. Despite these setbacks, Roma extended their lead to 2–0 approaching the hour mark, appearing to have secured a prestigious victory. The tactical balance rested on Roma's compact midfield aggression and Madrid's reliance on immediate transition and direct passes to their pacy attackers Vinícius and another forward. Mourinho responded with aggressive substitutions, introducing Eder Endrich and Arda Guler for Dumfries and an ineffective Vinícius, shifting Valverde to right-back, and later bringing in Jude Bellingham—referred to in the text as Silva—for Aurélien Tchouaméni, followed by Alejandro Balde and Carlos Espiñeira for Álvaro Cucurella and Maba Diomande. Fresh Roma changes saw Pellegrini replace Soulé and Leonardo Balerdi come on for the cautioned Gianluca Mancini. Madrid pressed relentlessly as Roma struggled to maintain defensive solidity, eventually conceding three times from set pieces near the corner flag—described as an "incredible" and "bewitched" match that delivered Mourinho's side a dramatic late victory. Both managers acknowledged the match featured two distinct contests in one fixture, with the stronger side emerging victorious at the final whistle despite Roma's earlier dominance. Koné and Dybala's injuries marked a significant cost to Roma's effort on the evening.

Roma lost 3-4 to Real Madrid in a Champions League match at the Olimpico, despite delivering what the article describes as an impressive performance with high tempo, quality and dominance for over 80 minutes. Wesley was among Roma's standout performers, putting in a display that caught the attention of Real Madrid manager José Mourinho. After the match, Mourinho spoke to TNT Sports and offered public praise for the Brazilian defender. "I knew already that he was strong, but seeing him up close was the first time," Mourinho said, highlighting Wesley's impact during the fixture.