The turnaround
Real Madrid completed a remarkable late comeback to win 4-3 away to Roma in Matchday 2 of the Champions League league stage. Roma had built a 3-1 lead by the 57th minute, only for Madrid to strike three times from the 83rd minute onwards and leave the Stadio Olimpico with the result.
The first half offered an early indication of the contest’s open nature. Marten de Roon put Roma ahead in the 20th minute with a right-footed finish, supplied by Matías Soulé. Madrid replied five minutes later: Kylian Mbappé scored with his right foot after Yan Diomande’s assist, sending the teams into half-time level at 1-1.
Roma take command
Roma regained the lead six minutes after the restart. Rodrigo Mora, introduced for Paulo Dybala at half-time, assisted Donyell Malen’s left-footed finish in the 51st minute. Malen then struck again in the 57th, this time with a right-footed effort from a Soulé assist. The goal was awarded following a VAR review, and Roma had a 3-1 advantage.
The home side’s attacking output was substantial across the match. Roma had 54% possession, completed 471 of 546 passes, and produced 12 key passes. They registered 14 shots, seven on target, with nine attempts coming from inside the area. Soulé’s two assists and Malen’s two goals defined the strongest part of Roma’s display; Malen was named Player of the Match with an 8.33 rating, narrowly ahead of Soulé’s 8.24.
Yet Madrid remained involved statistically even while trailing. They recorded 16 shots to Roma’s 14, eight on target to seven, and generated 47 dangerous attacks compared with 36. Madrid also won 47 duels, while Roma won 34, and earned nine corners to the hosts’ five.
A decisive final stretch
The comeback began in the 83rd minute. Carlos Espí, who had entered in the 78th minute, scored with a right-footed shot after an Endrick assist. VAR awarded the goal, reducing the deficit to one.
Two minutes later, Madrid were level. Endrick headed in Arda Güler’s assist in the 85th minute, making it 3-3. The equaliser was Endrick’s second direct goal contribution after coming on in the 59th minute for Vinicius Junior.
Madrid completed the turnaround in the 90th minute when Antonio Rüdiger scored with his right foot from another Güler assist. Güler had entered in the 59th minute and supplied the final two goals, while the visitors’ substitutes had decisive involvement in all three strikes of the late surge.
What the numbers show
Madrid’s pressure was reflected in their 11 shots from inside the box, 11 successful dribbles from 19 attempts, and a higher total of dangerous attacks. Roma, meanwhile, enjoyed more of the ball and created the same number of big chances—three each—but could not preserve their two-goal lead.
Both sides created three big chances and missed one, while each goalkeeper made four saves. Madrid’s four goals came from eight shots on target; Roma scored three times from seven. The match was decided by Madrid’s three-goal finish between the 83rd and 90th minutes, turning Roma’s promising position into a dramatic defeat.