Real Madrid overturn two-goal deficit with three late corner goals to stun Roma 4-3

Real Madrid overturned a 3-1 deficit to beat Roma 4-3 in the Champions League on Wednesday, scoring three corner-sourced goals in the final six minutes at the Stadio Olimpico to leave José Mourinho’s side stunned on a night that had seemed destined to end in a famous home victory.

Marten de Roon put Roma ahead before Kylian Mbappé equalised on his 100th Champions League appearance. Donyell Malen then struck twice in a six-minute spell early in the second half to put the hosts 3-1 up and leave the 15-time European champions staring at defeat.

Madrid’s late revival was built entirely from set-pieces. Carlos Espí pulled one back from a corner, Endrick levelled with another, and former Roma defender Antonio Rüdiger completed the turnaround with the winner — also from a corner — on his return to the ground where he spent four years. Each of the three goals in the closing stages originated directly from a corner kick.

The result was Roma’s first home Champions League match in more than seven years, and it arrived on Mourinho’s first return to the club he managed for two-and-a-half seasons. Supporters displayed banners and sang in his honour before kick-off, recalling the Conference League title and Europa League final he delivered. The late collapse made for a painful contrast with that reception.

A separate controversy surrounded the match before it began. A four-match ban for Vinícius Júnior — handed down for pulling an opponent’s hair in the previous league win over Villarreal — was announced roughly two hours before kick-off in Rome. Mourinho was sharply critical of the timing.

“They do things shamelessly now,” Mourinho said. “The cat is out of the bag now. Two hours before the match, a player must know he has a four-match suspension. Couldn’t they do it now? Couldn’t they do it tomorrow morning? Do we have to come by bus and almost arrive at the stadium when we find out?”

Vinícius featured in the match despite the ban applying to future fixtures. Madrid left Rome with a 4-3 away win that few inside the Stadio Olimpico would have anticipated when Malen made it 3-1 just after the hour.