Real Madrid trailed Roma 3-1 with less than 30 minutes to play in Jose Mourinho’s return to the Stadio Olimpico, then scored three goals in the final 10 minutes to win 4-3 in the Champions League. The decisive factor was a halftime-adjacent substitution that Mourinho could not have scripted better: pulling Vinicius Jr. at the 59th minute for Endrick, who went on to score one of the three comeback goals.
The result pushed Real Madrid to two wins in two league-phase Champions League matches this season. It also reopened a debate about Vinicius Jr.’s standing on the team just as he heads into a four-match La Liga suspension and an El Clasico he will miss entirely.
The Main Development: A Substitution That Changed The Match
Mourinho made the call to take off Vinicius Jr. with Real Madrid still down two goals and time running short. Endrick entered and found the net as part of the three-goal burst that flipped the result. Yan Diomande shifted to the left flank after the change and handled Roma’s attacking pressure well in that stretch, according to Sporting News.
The comeback came against the backdrop of Mourinho’s own history at the club he faced. He managed Roma for two and a half seasons before his January 2024 dismissal, a run that included a Conference League title in 2022 and a Europa League final appearance in 2023, per FOX Sports. Roma fans still regard him as one of the club’s best managers in recent memory, a figure who challenged bigger teams and understood what Roma needed, according to CBS Sports.
What It Means For Vinicius Jr.’s Role
Vinicius Jr. signed a contract extension with Real Madrid this past summer, but his position in the lineup now looks less settled. His substitution at Roma came after what Sporting News described as a poor performance, and it happened to open the door for Endrick to deliver the goal that started the turnaround. Diomande’s solid defensive showing after sliding into the left-wing spot added another name to the list of alternatives Mourinho has available on that flank.
Vinicius Jr. will serve a four-match La Liga suspension, which means he sits out the Oct. 25 Clasico against Barcelona at Camp Nou. He remains eligible for Champions League fixtures during that window, including the Oct. 21 match against RB Leipzig and the Nov. 4 game versus AEK Athens.
Context: Where Real Madrid Stand
The win keeps Real Madrid perfect through two Champions League league-phase matches. In La Liga, the club sits fourth, one point behind both Atletico Madrid and Real Betis and six points off leaders Barcelona. That gap adds weight to the Clasico Vinicius Jr. will miss.
The Roma trip also carried a milestone subplot. Kylian Mbappe was set to make his 100th Champions League appearance in the match at age 27, which would make him the youngest player to reach that mark, breaking the record Lionel Messi set at 28 against Roma back in September 2015.
What’s Next
Real Madrid return to Champions League action Oct. 21 against RB Leipzig, a match Vinicius Jr. remains eligible to play despite his domestic ban. His La Liga suspension will keep him out of the Oct. 25 Clasico against Barcelona at Camp Nou, a match that could shape the title race given Real Madrid’s current gap to the top of the table. The Champions League schedule continues Nov. 4 against AEK Athens.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
