Real Madrid Comeback Stuns Roma as Mourinho Enjoys Happy Reunion

 14 October 2026, Italy, Rome: Real Madrid's Endrick (L) celebrates scoring his side's third goal with teammate Antonio Rudiger during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between AS Roma and Real Madrid CF at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. (dpa)
14 October 2026, Italy, Rome: Real Madrid's Endrick (L) celebrates scoring his side's third goal with teammate Antonio Rudiger during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between AS Roma and Real Madrid CF at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. (dpa)
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Real Madrid Comeback Stuns Roma as Mourinho Enjoys Happy Reunion

 14 October 2026, Italy, Rome: Real Madrid's Endrick (L) celebrates scoring his side's third goal with teammate Antonio Rudiger during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between AS Roma and Real Madrid CF at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. (dpa)
14 October 2026, Italy, Rome: Real Madrid's Endrick (L) celebrates scoring his side's third goal with teammate Antonio Rudiger during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between AS Roma and Real Madrid CF at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. (dpa)

Jose Mourinho enjoyed a Roma reunion to remember as Real Madrid completed an astonishing comeback by scoring three late goals to claim a 4-3 away win in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Marten de Roon gave the hosts a deserved opener before Kylian Mbappe struck back on his 100th Champions League appearance to level the scores at the break.

Two Donyell Malen strikes in the space of six minutes early in the second half seemed to take the game away from the 15-time European champions as Roma ran rampant.

But Real scored three goals in the final six minutes, all stemming from corners, to turn the game on its head as Carlos Espi, Endrick and ex-Roma defender Antonio Rudiger struck at a stunned Stadio Olimpico.

Mourinho was a popular figure as he led Roma to the UEFA Conference League title and Europa League final during two-and-a-half years in charge.

The Portuguese was honored with banners and chants by the home crowd in Roma's first home Champions League match in more than seven years, and the hosts started strongly as Mario Hermoso forced Thibaut Courtois into a flying fingertip save.

Roma took a deserved lead when De Roon swept a shot past Courtois from 25 yards in the 20th minute, and almost doubled it when Malen's powerful shot squirmed under Courtois before being plucked off the line.

However, one costly moment of switching off proved enough to send them back to square one within five minutes of the opener being scored.

Hermoso misjudged an interception to allow Mbappe a clear run at goal and the France striker's deflected shot flew into the roof of the net to level the scores with Real's first meaningful chance of the game.

Mbappe marked his Champions League centurion status, something he is the youngest player to achieve aged 27, with his 72nd tournament goal - one that moved him into the all-time top five ahead of Real legend Raul Gonzalez.

The equalizer appeared to subdue Roma and steady Mourinho's men, who twice threatened a second before the break as Marc Cucurella and Jude Bellingham came close.

- Roma take game to Madrid -

But Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini insisted pre-match that Roma would not compromise on their full-throttle style regardless of opposition, and he was true to his word as they came out firing after the break.

Roma quickly re-took the lead when half-time substitute Rodrigo Mora fed the ball to Malen, who finished brilliantly by taking the ball in his stride with his first touch and lifting it over Courtois with his second.

Things got even better for the Italians just six minutes later when Malen raced onto a through ball to power home his second, given following a VAR review after initially being flagged for offside.

Real looked for a response as Mbappe twice tested Pierluigi Gollini, before having his second goal of the night ruled out for offside.

But set-pieces proved to be the key to unlock the Roma defense, as Espi tucked home a close-range rebound from a header to pull one back before Endrick powered home a header from another corner just two minutes later.

The final blow was struck by Rudiger in the 90th minute, the defender getting in front of his marker to guide home a close-range finish and complete an extraordinary turnaround.

The result leaves Real Madrid with six points from their opening two league phase matches, while Roma are on one point.



Vinicius to Miss ‘Clasico’ After Being Hit with a 4-Game Ban for Hair Pull and Angry Protests

Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Villarreal - Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 10, 2026 Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts as he leaves the pitch after being shown a red card. (Reuters)
Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Villarreal - Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 10, 2026 Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts as he leaves the pitch after being shown a red card. (Reuters)
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Vinicius to Miss ‘Clasico’ After Being Hit with a 4-Game Ban for Hair Pull and Angry Protests

Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Villarreal - Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 10, 2026 Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts as he leaves the pitch after being shown a red card. (Reuters)
Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Villarreal - Estadio Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - October 10, 2026 Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior reacts as he leaves the pitch after being shown a red card. (Reuters)

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has been banned for four league matches, including the “clasico” against Barcelona, after pulling the hair of an opponent in Saturday's 1-0 win over Villarreal.

Vinicius was shown a straight red card in the 73rd minute for having tugged hard on the hair of Villarreal’s Nathan Saliba when they were sprinting down the field, moments before the Madrid player scored a goal. The goal was also ruled out.

The Spanish soccer federation’s disciplinary committee announced the four-match suspension shortly before Madrid’s Champions League match at Roma on Wednesday.

Real Madrid was expected to appeal the suspension. Spanish media said an initial appeal had already been dismissed.

The committee said Vinicius was banned for two matches for the hair pulling and a further two matches for his subsequent aggressive protests to referee Isidro Diaz de Mera.

Vinicius screamed at Diaz de Mera while his teammates tried to calm him down as he left the field.

Diaz de Mera wrote in his match report that after being shown the red card Vinicius “protested my decision, raising his voice, toward where I was standing in an aggressive manner, and being held back by teammates.”

Vinicius will miss Sunday’s home match against Sevilla and the following week’s trip to Barcelona. He will also miss away matches at Racing Santander and Valencia.


PSG Outgun Embattled Man City in Six-Goal Champions League Thriller

UEFA Champions League - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 14, 2026 Paris St Germain's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after Vitinha scores their third goal. (Reuters)
UEFA Champions League - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 14, 2026 Paris St Germain's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after Vitinha scores their third goal. (Reuters)
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PSG Outgun Embattled Man City in Six-Goal Champions League Thriller

UEFA Champions League - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 14, 2026 Paris St Germain's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after Vitinha scores their third goal. (Reuters)
UEFA Champions League - Manchester City v Paris St Germain - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 14, 2026 Paris St Germain's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after Vitinha scores their third goal. (Reuters)

Paris Saint-Germain further soured the mood at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City's first home game since the guilty verdict on widespread flouting of Premier League financial rules ended in a 4-2 Champions League defeat on Wednesday.

The European champions turned on the style to strike three times inside the opening 35 minutes through Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha.

But City stormed back in the second half as Erling Haaland scored twice either side of Maghnes Akliouche's strike that briefly restored PSG's three-goal cushion.

The 10-time English champions face swingeing sanctions unless they can successfully appeal the ruling of an independent commission last month, which found the club guilty on over 100 charges of financial impropriety.

City shrugged off the uncertainty over their future to win 3-0 at Liverpool on Sunday and remain top of the Premier League, but PSG showed why they are the favorites to win this competition for a third consecutive season.

Former City manager Pep Guardiola returned to the Etihad for the first time since his departure in May, sat behind the club's embattled chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and CEO Ferran Soriano in a show of solidarity.

City made passing reference to the guilty verdict with a lengthy pre-match video detailing the club's historic moments of celebration both before and after an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008 that transformed their fortunes.

Behind one end supporters unraveled a giant banner reading: "I'm City till I die."

Yet the fighting talk in the stands was not matched on the field as City were blown away by a scintillating first 45 minutes from the visitors.

Luis Enrique's decision to leave Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the bench proved to be inspired as it meant Doue started wide on the left.

Gianluigi Donnarumma had a point to prove after the Italian goalkeeper was let go by the PSG coach just months after helping deliver the club's first Champions League title in 2025.

However, it turned out to be a night to forget for the giant Italian.

Donnarumma was caught out at his near post by Doue's effort from outside the box after a lightning counter-attack to open the scoring.

The move for the second goal two minutes later was even more impressive as Doue and Dembele exchanged an elaborate one-two before the latter headed in at the far post.

Achraf Hakimi hit the post before Vitinha rattled in PSG's third from the edge of the box.

Maresca responded with a triple substitution at half-time and managed to salvage some pride, even if the deficit proved too much to overturn.

Antoine Semenyo and Enzo Fernandez missed glaring chances to pull a goal back even before Haaland glanced home a header from Iliman Ndiaye's cross.

Yet, City were hit by a sucker punch when Donnarumma got a hand to Akliouche's effort but the ball looped high into the air and spun back into the net.

Nuno Mendes made a brilliant clearance off his own line and Haaland hit the bar before the Norwegian slotted home his second of the night.

Donnarumma saved a late Ferran Torres penalty to deny the French champions a fifth goal.


Hat-Trick Hero Barcola Primed to Shine for Liverpool, Says Iraola

Liverpool's French midfielder #29 Bradley Barcola celebrates scoring the 1-5 goal, his hattrick, during the UEFA Champions League football match between LASK and Liverpool FC in Linz, Austria on October 14, 2026. (AFP)
Liverpool's French midfielder #29 Bradley Barcola celebrates scoring the 1-5 goal, his hattrick, during the UEFA Champions League football match between LASK and Liverpool FC in Linz, Austria on October 14, 2026. (AFP)
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Hat-Trick Hero Barcola Primed to Shine for Liverpool, Says Iraola

Liverpool's French midfielder #29 Bradley Barcola celebrates scoring the 1-5 goal, his hattrick, during the UEFA Champions League football match between LASK and Liverpool FC in Linz, Austria on October 14, 2026. (AFP)
Liverpool's French midfielder #29 Bradley Barcola celebrates scoring the 1-5 goal, his hattrick, during the UEFA Champions League football match between LASK and Liverpool FC in Linz, Austria on October 14, 2026. (AFP)

Andoni Iraola believes Bradley Barcola's hat-trick in Liverpool's 6-3 Champions League win over LASK on Wednesday will herald the start of a dominant spell for the France forward.

Barcola had come under fire for some lackluster performances since his blockbuster £123 million ($161 million) move from Paris Saint-Germain in August.

But he finally started to live up to his hefty price tag with his first goals for Liverpool in his seventh appearance.

Barcola struck twice before the interval at the Raiffeisen Arena after Ronald Araujo put Liverpool ahead in the first half with his maiden goal for the club.

Jeremie Frimpong netted the fourth after the break against the Austrian champions before Barcola completed his treble.

There was still time for Lewis Koumas to score his first Champions League goal as Liverpool maintained their 100 percent record in this season's tournament after beating Atletico Madrid in their opening game.

"I'm really happy for Bradley because you were asking me yesterday about him not making the numbers, also Florian (Wirtz)," Iraola told reporters on Wednesday.

"I think both of them today played really well. I think they made a difference. Bradley apart from the hat-trick, I think he was a threat always - one-v-one, threatening in behind.

"Also Flo helped us a lot to control the game, finding the pockets. I'm happy for both of them.

"I think their confidence, for sure, is very good. I think they feel that we trust them a lot. But at the end, to enjoy a little bit playing in the Champions League away, I think it's going to be very good for them."

Barcola won the Champions League with PSG in each of the last two seasons and arrived at Anfield with high expectations.

Iraola is confident his forward's adaptation to English football will be aided by his goal-spree in Austria.

"Obviously I think he has to enjoy this because to score a hat-trick in the Champions League is always very difficult," he said.

"Even training yesterday, I could feel he was very lively, sometimes you feel these things. You never know how he's going to play the next day, but it wasn't like a big surprise because we were feeling he was in a good place for the game."

Iraola was relieved to get back on track after losing for the first time as Liverpool boss in the 3-0 defeat against Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday.

Iraola was also able to rest the likes of Vigil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister ahead of this weekend's trip to Brentford.

"You have different demands for each game and you have to try to analyze what players, not just you can rest, it's what players can perform well against LASK and help us to win the game, what players can help us against Brentford," Iraola said.

"But after Brentford we will play in three days against Villarreal, another very difficult Champions League game, and we will need more than 11, more than 12, more than 13."