Real Madrid turned a collapsing Champions League night in Rome into a 4-3 escape, overturning a 3-1 deficit after Arda Güler and Endrick entered on the hour. Their arrival changed both the rhythm and the temperament of Mourinho’s side, with Güler supplying the decisive late goals and Endrick driving the comeback that rescued a fractured display.
From disorder to a remarkable comeback
For long stretches, Madrid looked stretched between the lines and reliant on isolated moments rather than a coherent collective performance. Roma repeatedly found space, particularly through shots from outside the area and balls played behind the visiting full-backs, while the Valverde-Tchouaméni midfield pairing again struggled to provide control, creation or defensive protection.
Roma went ahead when a powerful effort struck Donyell Malen and changed direction, after Aurélien Tchouaméni’s misplaced pass had exposed Madrid in transition. Kylian Mbappé levelled with a breakaway effort that also took a helpful defensive deflection, but Roma struck back after Vinícius Júnior lost possession attempting an ill-judged backheel. A further Malen finish left Madrid 3-1 down.
The match shifted sharply in the 59th minute. Güler was introduced at the base of midfield, allowing Federico Valverde to move to right-back, while Endrick took up a wide-right starting position with licence to attack. Madrid began to retain the ball, play with patience and create sustained pressure.
- Espí reduced the deficit to 3-2, reacting first after Endrick’s header created the opening.
- Endrick then headed in the equaliser, making it 3-3.
- Güler provided the deliveries for Madrid’s third and fourth goals.
- Antonio Rüdiger scored the winner to complete the 4-3 turnaround.
The victory did not erase the concerns which had been visible before the substitutes transformed the contest. Madrid had again appeared dependent on individual brilliance, with too little joined-up pressing and considerable distance between midfield and defence. But the late surge gave the week in Europe an entirely different shape.
Güler and Endrick seize the European stage
Güler’s omission from the starting side had been surprising given his form this season, and his impact made the case for regular selection even stronger. Operating deeper than usual, he gave Madrid calmness in possession, clearer decision-making and the quality to unlock Roma twice in the decisive stages.
Endrick played with urgency from the moment he arrived. He had an early run down the right which could have brought either a penalty or a goal, then became increasingly influential with space to receive, dribble and attack the box. His aerial contribution was central to both the recovery and the equaliser.
Espí also strengthened his claim for more minutes. His goal for 3-2 underlined his instinct for arriving where chances fall, while Endrick’s performance suggested that Madrid have an option capable of making a major impact beyond brief substitute appearances.
Bernardo Silva returned after an extended spell on the margins, playing 20 minutes after accumulating only 15 across his previous seven appearances for Real Madrid and Portugal. He may no longer possess the intensity of his Manchester City peak, but his touch and reading of the game remained evident.
Mbappé reaches 72 as Vinícius faces a difficult spell
Mbappé’s equaliser carried major Champions League significance. His 72nd goal in the competition took him beyond Raúl and into fifth place on the all-time scoring list. He offered little in Madrid’s collective pressing or midfield construction, but once he had room to run, he again showed the ruthless quality that defines him.
He also had another effort ruled out for an extremely tight offside call. Yet Madrid’s broader attacking issues remained, with their most dangerous moments too often coming from sudden individual breaks rather than controlled attacking sequences.
Vinícius endured a particularly difficult evening. Substituted after an hour, he had made little attacking impact and his failed backheel directly preceded Roma’s second goal, drawing a visibly unhappy reaction from Mourinho on the touchline.
- Vinícius is facing a four-match suspension.
- Over the next month and a half, he is expected to be available for only two matches.
- Those two fixtures are Champions League meetings with RB Leipzig and AEK.
- The lack of continuity offers Diomande a significant opportunity to establish himself over the coming weeks.
Diomande showed flashes of pace and directness in the first half, faded after the interval with the rest of the team, then became dangerous again once Güler and Endrick had altered the match. The coming run could offer him the sustained platform he has lacked.
Selection questions remain despite the win
Rüdiger’s winning goal inevitably defined his night, although his selection had already attracted attention. He started ahead of Huijsen, who had been a near-ever-present before his derby red card. Mourinho had pointed before the match to the authority Rüdiger brought in the victory over Villarreal, and the defender delivered a broadly steady display before his late decisive contribution.
Courtois made an outstanding early save from Mario Hermoso and could do little about Roma’s goals: the first was redirected off Malen, the second was altered by Valverde, and the third came from close range.
The defensive issues were wider than any one player. Dumfries, returning to the starting line-up after being rested against Villarreal, struggled with passes in behind and could not recover for the 2-1 counterattack. Cucurella encountered similar problems after coming on, although he offered far more going forward and sent a clear first-half chance into the side netting.
Konaté had limited responsibility for the opening goal, which followed Tchouaméni’s error and an unfortunate deflection, but his positioning for Roma’s third was less convincing. Tchouaméni was also caught short protecting the space behind the full-backs and, alongside Valverde, again found himself under scrutiny for Madrid’s lack of midfield control.
Valverde’s deflection for Roma’s second was unfortunate, though he had played the attacker onside. The larger question is his role. Calls are growing for him to be used wider, as he was late in Rome, and for a different player to dictate play centrally. Güler, Bernardo Silva and Thiago are among the names that strengthen that argument.
Jude Bellingham had moments from the edge of the box and made useful runs beyond Roma’s midfield, but lacked his usual finish. A left-footed opportunity before half-time and a late header could both have changed the contest earlier.
Madrid leave Rome with the points and a comeback that will be remembered, but also with a clear warning. Güler and Endrick supplied the energy, structure and conviction absent for much of the night. Their intervention turned three goals down into a European victory; it may also have changed the conversation around Mourinho’s next team selection.
