Mourinho’s Roma Reunion Ends in Heartbreak as Madrid Stun With 3 Late Goals

José Mourinho returned to Rome for the first time since leaving AS Roma with a 15-time European champion side and a dramatic script: Real Madrid clawed back from a 3-1 deficit to win 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller at Stadio Olimpico ^[1]. The Portuguese coach, beloved by Roma fans for leading them to the Conference League title and Europa League final, was greeted with banners and chants as he walked onto the pitch ^[2].

Marten de Roon opened the scoring in the 20th minute, capitalizing on a deflection to beat Thibaut Courtois ^[2]. Kylian Mbappé equalized on his 100th Champions League appearance, becoming the youngest player in history to reach that milestone at age 27—according to ESPN, though this claim has not been independently confirmed.

Donyell Malen then struck twice in six minutes—first in the 51st minute, then again in the 57th after VAR confirmed the goal was onside—giving Roma a commanding 3-1 lead ^[2]. Mourinho responded by replacing Vinícius Júnior, who had been sent off earlier in the week and was banned for four LaLiga matches, but still included in the lineup.

With just minutes left, Real Madrid launched a furious comeback. Carlos Espí tapped in after a saved header from a corner in the 83rd minute ^[2]. Two minutes later, Endrick headed in Arda Güler’s corner to level the score ^[1]. The final twist came when Rüdiger, a former Roma defender, finished another corner in stoppage time to seal the win.

Elsewhere, Bodø/Glimt beat Borussia Dortmund 1-0 in Norway, with Fredrik Sjøvold’s strike securing their impressive home record against elite opposition ^[1]. Dortmund coach Niko Kovac admitted they lacked passion and were outplayed.

Shakhtar Donetsk, using Stamford Bridge as their temporary home due to the war in Ukraine, beat AEK Athens 3-1, with substitute Gleiker Mendoza scoring the clinching goal ^[1]. The match saw a 29,000-strong crowd, including Ukrainian expats.

In Seville, Isco and Abde Ezzalzouli powered Real Betis to a 3-2 win over Porto, with Ezzalzouli’s long-range strike earning goal-of-the-week buzz ^[1]. Stuttgart and Feyenoord also won, maintaining perfect records in the league phase. The story was first reported by The Guardian and ESPN.