Rabat – Real Madrid travel to Italy tonight to face Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in one of the standout fixtures of Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League phase.
Jose Mourinho’s side opened their European campaign with a 2-1 win over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu, giving Madrid three points from their opening game. Roma, meanwhile, began with a 1-1 draw away to Fenerbahce.
The meeting also carries a personal significance for Mourinho, who returns to face one of his former clubs. The Portuguese coach managed Roma between 2021 and 2024, leading the Italian side to the inaugural UEFA Conference League title in 2022 and the Europa League final the following season.
Mourinho described Roma as one of Italy’s strongest teams and warned that Madrid will need a high-level performance at a stadium where he still retains a strong connection with the supporters.
“They have fans who actively participate and don’t just come to watch the game,” Mourinho said. “To get the three points, we have to play very well because we have an important opponent ahead.”
Roma are also in strong domestic form. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side remain unbeaten in Serie A after six matches, although they were held to a 0-0 draw by Como at the weekend despite playing much of the second half with 10 men.
Real Madrid arrive after a 1-0 La Liga victory over Villarreal.
Match Details:
Fixture: Roma vs Real Madrid
Competition: UEFA Champions League – League Phase, Matchday 2
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Date: Wednesday, October 14
Kick-off: 7:00 p.m. GMT
How to watch: beIN Sports 3 in Morocco and across the Middle East and North Africa. The match can also be streamed through TOD and beIN CONNECT.
Real Madrid Team News
Injuries/Absences: Mourinho will travel without Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raul Asencio, with none of the four included in Madrid’s official squad for the trip to Rome.
Ibrahima Konate is available despite recently dealing with a knee ligament problem, while Dean Huijsen has also returned to the squad after missing the league victory against Villarreal.
Vinicius Junior is available in Europe despite his red card against Villarreal. The Brazilian’s potential domestic suspension applies to Spanish competition and does not prevent him from featuring in the Champions League.
Kylian Mbappe is also in the squad after recovering from the knee problem that affected him during the recent international period.
Endrick has travelled to Rome as well. The Brazilian has played only four minutes this season, but Mourinho this week dismissed the possibility of another loan move and said he believes the 20-year-old will become a “huge success” at Madrid.
Key Players: Mbappe remains Madrid’s primary attacking threat, while Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler provide creativity behind the Frenchman. Vinicius could return to the starting lineup after beginning the Villarreal match on the bench.
Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga give Mourinho several midfield combinations, while Brahim Diaz and Yan Diomande provide additional attacking options.
Madrid’s official travelling squad includes Courtois, Lunin and Mestre; Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Marc Cucurella, Alvaro Carreras, Antonio Rudiger and Denzel Dumfries; Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouameni, Guler, Bernardo Silva and Thiago; and Vinicius, Endrick, Mbappe, C. Espi, Brahim and Diomande.
Likely XI: Courtois; Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe.
Roma Team News
Injuries/Absences: Roma will be without captain Bryan Cristante, who remains unavailable, while goalkeeper Mile Svilar is also sidelined with a foot problem.
Konstantinos Koulierakis has recovered from the physical issue he suffered while on international duty and has been included in Gasperini’s squad.
Pierluigi Gollini is therefore expected to continue in goal after starting against Como.
Donyell Malen was sent off during Roma’s Serie A draw with Como, but the domestic red card does not rule him out of Wednesday’s Champions League match.
Key Players: Paulo Dybala remains Roma’s main creative threat, while Matias Soule has developed into another important attacking option under Gasperini. Malen offers pace and movement through the middle, with Manu Kone and Marten de Roon expected to carry much of the midfield responsibility in Cristante’s absence.
Roma’s official squad also includes Gianluca Mancini, Evan Ndicka, Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina and Wesley among Gasperini’s defensive options.
Likely XI: Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Molina, Kone, De Roon, Wesley; Dybala, Soule; Malen.
What to Expect
Real Madrid face a considerably different challenge from their weekend meeting with Villarreal.
Gasperini’s Roma are unbeaten domestically and are comfortable defending aggressively before attacking quickly through Dybala, Soule and Malen. Their wing-backs should also test Madrid’s defensive structure, particularly if Mourinho allows both full-backs to push high.
Madrid, however, possess significantly more individual attacking quality. Mbappe and Vinicius can punish Roma if space opens behind their defensive line, while Bellingham’s movement into the penalty area could cause problems for Gasperini’s back three.
The midfield battle could prove decisive. Roma are without Cristante, while Madrid have several physical and technical options through Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga and Guler.
There will also be considerable attention on Mourinho. He said his emotional connection with Roma remains strong but insisted that once the game begins, the return will become “just another match.”
Both teams have points on the board after Matchday 1, but Madrid can take an important early step toward the knockout rounds with another victory before hosting Leipzig at the Bernabeu on October 21. Roma, meanwhile, host Slovan Bratislava in their next Champions League fixture on October 20.
