Preview: Roma vs Real Madrid - prediction, team news, lineups

Reconvening with Roma in the Champions League, 15-time winners Real Madrid will visit Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday.

For the second time this term, Madrid boss Jose Mourinho must face a former club, as Los Blancos try to extend their dominance over the Giallorossi.

Match preview

While they were far from convincing on matchday one, Real Madrid started their latest Champions League campaign in familiar style, claiming maximum points on home turf.

Having suffered without the ball, conceded several chances and benefited from two glaring errors, the Spanish giants still beat Inter Milan, thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde.

Madrid had kicked off La Liga with three straight wins, but they suffered defeats to Real Betis and city rivals Atletico Madrid before the international break, ramping up the pressure on Saturday's game against Villarreal.

It was a close contest at the Bernabeu, but Los Blancos eked out a 1-0 win, with Yan Diomande scoring his first Madrid goal before Vinicius Junior was sent off - a decision loudly protested by Mourinho and co.

Already six points off the pace being set by league leaders Barcelona - this season's first Clasico is coming up - they must swiftly switch focus to Europe.

After Inter last month, Mourinho now faces another reunion, having led Roma from 2021 to 2024. During that time, they underwhelmed in Serie A but won the inaugural Conference League, then reached the Europa League final.

The familiarity does not end there: Madrid have met Roma 12 times and lead the head-to-head by quite a margin, with eight wins to three so far.

Though the most recent meeting was eight years ago, Madrid have won all of the last four without conceding - plus five of six prior encounters in Rome.

Roma recently ended their seven-season absence from the Champions League with a gritty 1-1 draw away to Fenerbahce - yet another of Mourinho's old clubs.

European Cup runners-up in 1984, the Italian side booked their comeback by finishing third in Serie A last term, capping a memorable first year in charge for Gian Piero Gasperini.

A Europa League winner with Atalanta, 'Gasp' also has plenty of experience at the elite level, having lost just four of his last 24 Champions League group or league-phase fixtures.

His current club have made an unbeaten start to the new Serie A season, posting four straight wins before being held to consecutive draws by potential title rivals Como and Inter.

Though they trailed home far behind the Scudetto winners last term, both Roma and Como gatecrashed Italy's top four, and the pair played out an intense goalless stalemate on Sunday.

Gasperini's team had been pressing for maximum points, but star striker Donyell Malen saw red for a mistimed lunge, and their backs were against the wall for most of the final 40 minutes at Stadio Sinigaglia.

While frustrating, that still left the Giallorossi in third - within two points of Inter and city rivals Lazio - and they can now seek a first Champions League success.

Before their seven-year exile from UEFA's top competition, Roma had won eight of their last nine home games, and Stadio Olimpico was also a fortress as they reached successive European finals in 2022 and 2023.

However, they have recently suffered three defeats from their last five home matches in Europe - more than across the previous 38 - including a 4-3 knockout loss to Bologna in last season's Europa League.

Roma Champions League form:

Roma form (all competitions):

Real Madrid Champions League form:

Real Madrid form (all competitions):

Team News

Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo and Raul Asencio are unavailable for Real Madrid, but Dean Huijsen - who once spent a few months on loan at Roma - will be eligible after serving a domestic suspension.

Furthermore, Mourinho can call upon midfield trio Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva, all of whom are back from UEFA bans.

Vinicius Junior will soon be suspended in La Liga, but he can play on Wednesday evening: with 26 Champions League assists, the Brazilian winger is just one behind Cristiano Ronaldo's club record.

At the age of 27 years 298 days, Mbappe should become the youngest man to reach 100 appearances in the competition. He would beat Lionel Messi's record (28 years 84 days), which was actually set against Roma in 2015.

Like Vini Jr, Roma's top scorer is facing a domestic ban, but Malen will be ready to start in midweek. Incidentally, both the Dutch striker and his partner Paulo Dybala have lost a Champions League final against Real Madrid.

In midfield, it remains to be seen if Bryan Cristante can return from the knee problem that forced him out of Italy's Nations League squad and Sunday's game against Como.

The hosts' first-choice goalkeeper has definitely been ruled out, as Mile Svilar recently fractured a toe; after keeping a clean sheet on his first Serie A appearance for two years, Pier Luigi Gollini will deputise again.

Roma possible starting lineup:

Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Molina, Kone, De Roon, Wesley; Dybala, Soule; Malen

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Dumfries, Konate, Rudiger, Carreras; Valverde, Bernardo; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe

We say: Roma 1-2 Real Madrid

Including a lucky win over Inter last month, Real Madrid have won 20 of their last 22 matches against Italian clubs, and that trend will continue in Rome.

Though the Olimpico is bound to be bouncing for the visit of European royalty, Roma's collective strength may be undone by Madrid's individual class.

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