The visit to Rome served as an emotional reunion for the Portuguese manager, who previously led Roma to the European Conference League title. Home fans honored Mourinho with banners and chants during Roma’s first home Champions League match in over seven years. However, the atmosphere was complicated by the announcement of a four-match ban for Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior, handed down just hours before kickoff for pulling an opponent’s hair during Saturday’s league win over Villarreal.
Mourinho expressed frustration with the timing of the disciplinary decision. “They do things shamelessly now,” he said. “The cat is out of the bag now. Two hours before the match, a player must know he has a four-match suspension. Couldn’t they do it now? Couldn’t they do it tomorrow morning? Do we have to come by bus and almost arrive at the stadium when we find out?”
On the pitch, Roma initially dominated. Marten de Roon gave the hosts a deserved opener, but Kylian Mbappé leveled the score on his 100th Champions League appearance to send the sides to the break tied 1-1. Roma surged ahead early in the second half as Donyell Malen scored twice within six minutes, extending their lead to 3-1. The game appeared settled until the 84th minute, when Carlos Espí’s goal from a corner sparked Madrid’s revival. Endrick and former Roma defender Antonio Rüdiger added further goals in the closing minutes to complete the stunning turnaround.
In another high-profile result, Bodø/Glimt continued their impressive home form by defeating Borussia Dortmund 1-0 at the Aspmyra Stadium. Fredrik Sjøvold scored the decisive goal in the 52nd minute. Dortmund coach Niko Kovac admitted defeat, stating, “There’s nothing we can complain about, we deserved to lose. We didn’t bring enough passion today – that’s something Bodø did much better.” The win adds Dortmund to a list of recent elite victims for the Norwegian side, which also includes Manchester City, Inter, and Sporting. Bodø’s home ground, with a capacity of 8,200, remains the smallest venue in the current competition.
Shakhtar Donetsk, the Ukrainian champions competing from a neutral base, celebrated their move to Stamford Bridge by beating AEK Athens 3-1. Lovro Majer gave the Greek side a 28th-minute lead, but Pedrinho equalized from the penalty spot six minutes later. Vinicius Tobias scored from a tight angle with 10 minutes remaining, and substitute Gleiker Mendoza sealed the victory late in the match. Shakhtar are using Chelsea’s home ground for their European fixtures this season, as the Londoners are absent from continental competition.
