Jose Mourinho walks back into the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night as the enemy. The Real Madrid manager returns to the ground where Roma fans still adore him, but he brings a squad stripped of Rodrygo, Raul Asencio and Eder Militao — and unbeaten Roma, missing their first-choice goalkeeper, smell the biggest Champions League scalp of the league phase so far.
Mourinho Comes Home
No away manager in Europe gets a reception like the one waiting for Mourinho in Rome. He delivered Roma's first European trophy, the 2022 Conference League, and the Curva Sud has never really let him go. Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini admitted this week that Mourinho left behind amazing memories and deep affection in the capital — before pointedly stressing that his own side has built an identity of its own.
Sentiment, though, only lasts until kick-off. Roma are unbeaten in 14 games stretching back into last season, and a goalless draw at Como at the weekend, played largely on the back foot after Donyell Malen's red card, underlined how hard Gasperini's side are to break down. Madrid have won the last four Champions League meetings between these clubs by an aggregate of 9-0, but this Roma — organised, physical and patient — are a very different proposition from the sides that rolled over.
Madrid's Injury List Grows
Mourinho's problems are concentrated in defence and on the right wing. Rodrygo is out until the new year with a knee injury and Raul Asencio faces months out with a stress fracture, while Militao has returned to group training after a thigh problem but has been ruled out of this game by his manager. Ferland Mendy also remains unavailable. UEFA's predicted lineup has Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen and Marc Cucurella forming a reshuffled back four in front of Thibaut Courtois.
The good news for Madrid is at the other end. Kylian Mbappe, who has eight goals in nine games this season, is fit to start after his knee issue, and Vinicius is available in Europe because the red card he collected against Villarreal on Saturday only carries a domestic suspension — the ban that threatens his place in El Clasico does not apply here. Federico Valverde, the derby injury worry, played and assisted the winner against Villarreal.
Roma's Wall Starts With Ndicka
Roma have absentees of their own. First-choice goalkeeper Mile Svilar is out with a fractured finger, so Pierluigi Gollini — impressive on a rare start at Como — keeps the gloves, and captain Bryan Cristante misses out with a knee injury. But the spine of Gasperini's team is intact, and it is built around Evan Ndicka. The Ivory Coast centre-back anchors a back three that simply does not give up cheap chances, and his duel with Mbappe — pace against pace, power against power — is the contest that will decide Wednesday night.
Ahead of Ndicka, Manu Kone and Marten de Roon will try to stop Madrid's midfield runners, while Paulo Dybala and Matias Soule feed Malen, Roma's top scorer, who is free to play because his Como dismissal was a domestic matter. The full team news and predicted lineups are tracked by 101GreatGoals ahead of kick-off.
So What Does It Mean?
This is a fork-in-the-road night for both clubs. Madrid opened with a 2-1 win over Inter but have already lost the derby to Atletico, and a second straight away defeat would leave Mourinho's expensively rebuilt side playing catch-up in the league phase — with Sevilla and El Clasico looming in La Liga. For Roma, a famous win would announce Gasperini's project to Europe and put them in pole position for the knockout places; even a draw keeps the unbeaten run rolling and the Olimpico believing. Elsewhere on Wednesday, Victor Osimhen leads Galatasaray against Barcelona in another heavyweight league-phase clash.
Beyond the Final Whistle: Mourinho will get his ovation, and then Roma will make him suffer for it. Madrid's makeshift defence has not faced a home crowd or a counter-attack like this all season, and Ndicka and company are built to frustrate exactly the kind of side Mourinho now leads. Expect a tight, tense night — and do not be surprised if the Special One leaves Rome with nothing but the applause. Can Roma end Madrid's four-game winning run in this fixture? Tell us in the comments.
