Roma host Real Madrid at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday, 14 October in the Champions League

Mourinho returns to the Olimpico

Real Madrid landed at Fiumicino airport in Rome on Tuesday, 13 October, and more than a hundred supporters, many of them children, greeted the squad at Terminal 5 after it arrived at 17:30. Kylian Mbappé, Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior stopped to sign autographs before the players boarded the team coach. Former Roma player Antonio Rüdiger was among the most warmly received. The teams meet at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday, 14 October, with kickoff at 21:00, in the second matchday of the Champions League league phase. It is Roma's first Champions League home game in seven and a half years, and José Mourinho, who coached the club from 2021 to 2024, returns as the opposing coach.

1. Oct 13, 05:30 PMReal Madrid squad arrives at Fiumicino airport, Terminal 5
2. Oct 14, 09:00 PMChampions League match at the Stadio Olimpico kicks off

Form on the road

Real Madrid arrive after a 1-0 win over Villarreal in La Liga and a 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League, but Europa Press says their performances have still fallen short of expectations. The side has looked weakest away from home, with league defeats at Real Betis (1-0) and Atlético de Madrid (2-1). In the Champions League, Real have lost four of their last eight away matches. Roma come in unbeaten after a goalless draw with Como 1907 and rely on defensive solidity, according to the same report.

Gasperini and Mourinho

Gian Piero Gasperini said Real still need more matches to settle after changing both coach and system, though he called them a side capable of winning any game. Speaking on the eve of the match, he also praised the affection Roma supporters still show their former coach.

Here there has been a great affection for Mourinho, and he deserves all the recognition the people will give him.

Gasperini also joked about what he would take from his opponent, saying he would borrow Mourinho's ability to persuade clubs to spend heavily on outstanding players. At his own news conference on Tuesday, Mourinho named the two strongest sides in Italy.

Inter and Roma are, at this moment, the strongest teams in Italy.

Red cards and the La Liga dispute

Vinícius Júnior had a goal ruled out and was shown a straight red card for pulling the hair of Villarreal's Nathan Saliba, and he later apologized on Instagram. Donyell Malen was also sent off against Como, and the Dutch forward said he had apologized to his teammates in the dressing room. He added that he would do everything possible to help the side on Wednesday and praised Jude Bellingham, his former Borussia Dortmund teammate. Real have also called for a new Spanish league president after Javier Tebas criticized the club over its refereeing complaints, which the club called intolerable. Mourinho skipped the mandatory post-match news conference after the Villarreal game, and when asked on Tuesday why, he replied that he would not comment.

What is at stake

Mourinho said on Tuesday that Real still have matches to play before they qualify, but that they depend on themselves. Roma's last Champions League home game came against Porto in February 2019, when they won 2-1 but lost the return leg 3-1 and went out 4-3 on aggregate. The match kicks off at 21:00 on Wednesday, 14 October, at the Stadio Olimpico.