Real Madrid produced a remarkable late comeback at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday, overturning a two-goal deficit in the closing minutes to defeat Roma 4-3 in the UEFA Champions League.
With just seven minutes of normal time remaining, the Spanish giants appeared destined for defeat, trailing 3-1 after Roma had taken control of the encounter.
However, substitutes Carlos Espí and Endrick struck within two minutes of each other before Antonio Rüdiger completed the turnaround with a dramatic 90th-minute winner.
The victory handed Madrid their second consecutive Champions League win and marked a memorable return to Rome for manager José Mourinho.
The Portuguese coach, who previously guided Roma to the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League title and the following season’s Europa League final, received a warm welcome from supporters of his former club.
Roma initially looked determined to spoil his return, taking the lead after 20 minutes when Marten de Roon unleashed a powerful effort from outside the penalty area following a pass from Matías Soulé.
Madrid responded five minutes later through Kylian Mbappé, whose deflected strike beat goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini to restore parity.
The goal was reportedly Mbappé’s 72nd in his first 100 Champions League appearances, moving him ahead of former Madrid captain Raúl’s competition tally of 71.
Roma regained control after the interval, with Donyell Malen scoring twice in six minutes.
His first goal came in the 51st minute after Vinícius Júnior surrendered possession, with the resulting effort deflecting off Federico Valverde.
Malen doubled his tally shortly afterwards, although his second strike required a VAR review after initially being disallowed for offside.
At 3-1, the Italian side appeared firmly positioned to secure all three points, prompting defensive substitutions aimed at preserving their advantage.
Those changes failed to prevent Madrid’s late resurgence.
Espí began the comeback in the 83rd minute, converting a rebound after Gollini had denied Endrick’s header.
Two minutes later, Endrick turned goalscorer, heading home Arda Güler’s corner to level the contest.
With Roma struggling to contain Madrid’s momentum, another Güler delivery created the decisive opportunity in the final minute of normal time.
Rüdiger reacted quickest inside the penalty area, volleying into the net to complete an extraordinary turnaround.
Despite not appearing among the goalscorers, Jude Bellingham received the Player of the Match award, with a reported average rating of 8.24.
The result leaves Madrid with maximum points from their opening two Champions League fixtures, while Roma have collected just one point.
For Mourinho’s side, the dramatic finish reinforced Madrid’s reputation for late European comebacks, turning what appeared to be a disappointing night into another memorable victory.
