Preview: Roma vs Real Madrid

Stadio Olimpico is about to host its first UEFA Champions League match in more than six years as Roma and Real Madrid go head-to-head in a mouth-watering fixture on Wednesday.

Gian Piero Gasperini has steered Roma back to Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 2018/19, yet their league-phase campaign has been off to a slow start. Fenerbahce held the Giallorossi to a dramatic 1-1 draw on matchday one, extending their winless run in European football to four matches (D3, L1).

Roma’s reaction has been rather shambolic. Despite beating Torino 2-0 in the immediate aftermath, Gasperini’s men have since drawn back-to-back Serie A games against Como and Inter. Commendably, though, they defied a numerical disadvantage to eke out a scoreless stalemate at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Saturday.

Unlike Roma, Real Madrid enjoyed a perfect warm-up for this showdown, as marquee summer signing Yan Diomande scored his maiden La Liga goal to inspire Los Blancos to a narrow 1-0 win over Villarreal. It was a swift response to their frustrating 2-1 derby defeat at Atletico Madrid on the stroke of the international break.

Buoyed by that success, Jose Mourinho, who led Roma to UEFA Conference League glory in 2021/22, returns to Italy’s capital as a foe.

Match Preview

Roma

You’d need to go back to February 2019 for the last time the Olimpico hosted a Champions League fixture. As such, Roma are likely to take the field highly motivated to defy their recent home woes in continental action, which have produced five defeats across their last five European outings in Rome (W2).

Another match without a win would leave Roma on a five-game winless run in UEFA competitions for the first time since September 2016. However, there’s plenty of reason for optimism. Virtually unplayable at home, Gasperini’s men have gone unbeaten across their last eight competitive games at the Olimpico (W6, D2), stretching back to late March.

It’s also worth noting that they’ve netted at least two goals in their last five home matches, including a stomach-wrenching 2-2 draw against Inter, in which they squandered a two-goal lead. Roma will likely have to be at their best again if they’re to post only their fourth win in their 14th meeting with Real Madrid (D1, L8) and avenge a 2-0 defeat in their last encounter here back in November 2018.

Real Madrid

Los Blancos have dominated Italian opposition in the Champions League, winning 19 of their last 21 clashes against Serie A sides (L2). Speaking of their formidable record against Italian opposition, they’ve also beaten Roma in five of their six away European showdowns at the Olimpico in the 21st century (L1), scoring at least two goals in each victory.

Topically, Real Madrid kickstarted their league-phase journey with a gutsy 2-1 win over Mourinho’s former club Inter, which paints an even bleaker picture for Roma. Another positive outcome seems like a virtual certainty, given that the record-time European champions have only lost one match in the Champions League main draw under Mourinho (W15, D3).

However, their recent traveling form has been anything but convincing. Perhaps the new season could offer a clean slate after Los Merengues lost four of their last eight Champions League away games (W4). Yet, the fact that their only two defeats this season came on the road is unlikely to inspire confidence ahead of this trip.

Team News

Apart from starting goalkeeper Mile Svilar, Gasperini will have the rest of his Roma squad fit and ready for this fixture. With Svilar struggling with a toe injury, Pier Luigi Gollini will likely make another start, while Donyell Malen is expected to lead the line despite picking up a red card against Como at the weekend.

On the other hand, Real Madrid will take this trip without Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo, and Raul Asencio. Former Roma defender Dean Huijsen returns to the fold after serving a domestic suspension but should start on the bench, with Ibrahima Konate likely to partner up with Antonio Rudiger at the heart of Mourinho’s defense.

Roma vs Real Madrid Potential Starting Lineups

Roma (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Molina, Kone, De Roon, Wesley; Dybala, Soule; Malen.

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Dumfries, Konate, Rudiger, Carreras; Valverde, Bernardo; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior; Mbappe.

Roma vs Real Madrid Prediction

Still unbeaten this season, Roma could be a tough proposition at home. However, it’s difficult to overlook Real Madrid’s intimidating record against Italian teams in the Champions League. With Los Blancos boasting greater firepower and Roma struggling to find their rhythm in Europe, we expect Mourinho’s men to edge a closely fought contest.

Prediction: Real Madrid to Win