Quick answer: Real Madrid beat Roma 4-3 at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night, scoring three goals in seven minutes — all from corners — after trailing 3-1 until the 83rd minute. Carlos Espí, Endrick and Antonio Rüdiger completed one of the great Champions League comebacks, on the night Kylian Mbappé became the youngest player ever to reach 100 appearances in the competition.
Roma vs Real Madrid: The Night the Olimpico Went Silent
For seventy minutes, this was going to be Roma’s night. A goal up inside twenty minutes, two more after the break, a two-goal cushion with the Stadio Olimpico roaring — and then football remembered who Real Madrid are. Three goals in seven minutes. Three goals from corners. A 3-1 lead turned into a 3-4 defeat, and José Mourinho walked out of his old club’s stadium having delivered one of the coldest comebacks this competition has seen.
The evening had started so well for the home side. Marten de Roon arrived at the edge of the box in the 20th minute and buried the opener, Matías Soulé providing the assist. Real Madrid needed only five minutes to answer, and of course it was Kylian Mbappé — playing his 100th Champions League game — who punished a defensive error from Hermoso and lashed past Pierluigi Gollini to make it 1-1. That goal was quietly historic too: it was the 500th goal involvement of Mbappé’s club career.
After the break, Roma flew again. Donyell Malen, the sharpest attacker on the pitch all night, struck twice in six minutes — first on 51 minutes, then again on 57 — and suddenly the scoreboard read 3-1. Mbappé had a goal chalked off after the hour, Roma’s crowd smelt something historic, and Madrid looked short of answers.
Seven Minutes That Broke Roma
What happened next is why this club has fifteen European Cups. On 83 minutes, Arda Güler played a quick corner, Endrick’s header was spilled by Gollini, and substitute Carlos Espí reacted fastest to tap in. Two minutes later, the same pairing worked a proper corner: Güler’s delivery, Endrick’s unchallenged header, 3-3. And in the 90th minute, from Güler’s corner again, former Roma defender Antonio Rüdiger bundled the ball home from close range to complete the turnaround. 3-1 down in the 82nd minute. Winners by full time.
According to Opta, no away side in Champions League history had ever been two goals down as late as the 82nd minute and gone on to win in normal time. Roma, remarkably, have now lost back-to-back European matches despite scoring three goals — before this year, they had lost only one of their first 86 major European games in that situation.
Roma vs Real Madrid: Goals and Timeline
| Minute | Scorer | Score | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20′ | Marten de Roon (Roma) | 1-0 | Assist: Matías Soulé |
| 25′ | Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) | 1-1 | Punished Hermoso error; 100th UCL appearance |
| 51′ | Donyell Malen (Roma) | 2-1 | Low finish |
| 57′ | Donyell Malen (Roma) | 3-1 | Second of the night |
| 83′ | Carlos Espí (Real Madrid) | 3-2 | Rebound after Gollini spilled Endrick’s header |
| 85′ | Endrick (Real Madrid) | 3-3 | Header from Güler corner |
| 90′ | Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid) | 3-4 | Winner from Güler corner; ex-Roma man |
Match Stats: Roma 3-4 Real Madrid
| Stat | Roma | Real Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 52% | 48% |
| Goals from set pieces | 0 | 3 (all corners, minutes 83-90) |
| Star performer | Donyell Malen (brace) | Arda Güler (2 corner assists) |
| Venue | Stadio Olimpico, Rome | |
| League phase record | Defeat | Second win, 6 points from 6 |
Records and Milestones From the Night
- Mbappé’s century: At 27 years and 298 days, he became the youngest player ever to reach 100 Champions League appearances, beating the mark held by Lionel Messi (28 years, 84 days).
- 500 club goal involvements: Mbappé’s first-half goal was the 500th of his club career — 378 goals and 122 assists.
- The Madrid way: This is the fifth time Real Madrid have won a European Cup or Champions League match after trailing by two or more goals — more than any other club.
- Mourinho returns to Rome: The man who delivered Roma’s European night in Tirana came back to haunt them, masterminding the late set-piece siege from the Madrid dugout.
- Rüdiger’s revenge tour: The defender, who left Roma for Chelsea back in 2017, scored his first goal of the campaign at the most painful possible moment for his old club.
What the Result Means
Real Madrid now sit on six points from their first two league-phase games, exactly the platform a squad built to go deep expects. Roma are left to process a defeat that will hurt for months: 3-1 up at home with twenty minutes to go, beaten by three corners in seven minutes. The xG will show how cruel this was — Madrid’s late goals came from situations worth a fraction of a goal each — but that is the competition’s oldest lesson. At this level, a two-goal lead against this club is not a lead. It is a countdown.
Roma vs Real Madrid: Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Roma vs Real Madrid?
Real Madrid won 4-3. They were 3-1 down until the 83rd minute and scored three times in seven minutes — Carlos Espí (83′), Endrick (85′) and Antonio Rüdiger (90′) — all from corner kicks.
Who scored for Roma against Real Madrid?
Marten de Roon opened the scoring in the 20th minute and Donyell Malen scored twice (51′, 57′) to put Roma 3-1 ahead at the Stadio Olimpico.
When and where was Roma vs Real Madrid played?
Wednesday, 14 October 2026 (early Thursday morning Pakistan time), at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome — a UEFA Champions League league-phase match.
Why was Mbappé’s night historic?
He made his 100th Champions League appearance and became the youngest player ever to reach a century of games in the competition, at 27 years and 298 days — ahead of Lionel Messi’s previous record. His goal was also the 500th goal involvement of his club career.
Who was the man of the match?
Donyell Malen was Roma’s standout with his brace, but the night belonged to the substitutes — Endrick scored one and forced the rebound for the first, and Arda Güler assisted twice from corners, including the Rüdiger winner.