Real Madrid turned impending defeat into a stunning 4–3 victory over AS Roma at the Olimpico on Wednesday, striking three times from the 83rd minute onwards to transform a breathless UEFA Champions League fixture.
Roma led 3–1 after Donyell Malen’s double in the 51st and 57th minutes, but Madrid produced a devastating late response. Carlos Espí pulled one back in the 83rd minute, Endrick headed the equaliser in the 85th, and Antonio Rüdiger delivered the decisive volley in the 90th.
Roma strike first before Madrid respond
Marten de Roon opened the scoring for the hosts in the 20th minute, giving Roma the early advantage. It lasted just five minutes: Kylian Mbappé equalised in the 25th to bring Madrid level.
The sides reached half-time at 1–1, with neither having established a lasting advantage. Within 12 minutes of the restart, however, Roma had put themselves firmly in control of the result.
Malen restored the hosts’ lead in the 51st minute, then struck again in the 57th to make it 3–1. His six-minute double left Madrid facing a two-goal deficit and Roma within reach of a valuable league-phase victory.
Three late goals turn the fixture upside down
That advantage remained intact until the 83rd minute, when substitute Espí’s goal offered Madrid a route back. Two minutes later, fellow substitute Endrick headed home to make it 3–3.
A draw was suddenly within Madrid’s grasp, but the visitors found one more decisive moment. Rüdiger’s 90th-minute volley completed the turnaround, giving Madrid the lead for the first time on the night. They held it through stoppage time to take all three points.
Fine margins, brutal consequences
Roma finished with 54% possession and seven shots on target from 14 attempts. Madrid had less of the ball but registered 16 attempts, eight on target, and nine corners to the hosts’ five.
Those figures underline how competitive the contest was, but the closing sequence settled it. For Roma, a commanding position became a painful defeat. For Madrid, contributions from the bench and a decisive late finish turned a difficult European away night into an extraordinary victory.
