Real Madrid's late comeback at Roma explained by Mourinho's reaction

José Mourinho gave the sharpest read on Real Madrid's 4-3 win over AS Roma. He said it was "two matches in one": one where Roma were superior in every aspect, and the final 20 minutes where Madrid were unstoppable. That is the frame for a night that swung from 3-1 down to victory at the Stadio Olimpico, with three goals in the final eight minutes.

The late swing in Rome

Roma led 3-1 after a Donyell Malen double and Marten de Roon's opener, and Madrid were still behind at the hour mark. José Mourinho said that at 3-1, everyone thought they were done for, but then it was Roma who ended up tiring.

Real Madrid vs AS Roma is also the kind of result that underlined the value of the bench. Endrick came on and scored, while Antonio Rüdiger finished the job with the 89th-minute winner. Arda Güler delivered three consecutive set-pieces, and Federico Valverde said: "As a player, I'm proud. But if we had done our job properly from the start, it would have been a much less complicated game."

Mbappé also reached his 100th Champions League appearance and scored, a tidy landmark in a game that could have gone very differently.

The bench gave Madrid control

The late goals were not random. Güler's delivery kept Roma under pressure, and the substitutes finished the work once the home side started to fade. Endrick said, "I'm still feeling the emotions. I wasn't expecting to come on so early, but I want to help my team."

Rüdiger then supplied the decisive touch in the 89th minute, and he admitted the emotional edge afterwards. "I'm happy to have scored the winning goal. Of course, it's a bittersweet feeling, but that's football," he said. "Roma will always hold a special place in my heart."

The result leaves Madrid with a second win in the Champions League league phase and strengthens an already perfect start. Roma, by contrast, are left to deal with a collapse that began with a three-goal lead and ended with nothing from the night in Rome.