Real Madrid don return to Champions League to play second matchday of dis group stage for Olympic Stadium inside Rome. Kick-off na 9:00 pm CEST, and Orange TV plus Movistar Liga de Campeones go show am. Dis one na di first away game of di competition, wey Mourinho side begin with victory against another Italian team, Inter Milan, 2-1. Di target clear: to secure di second win in as many matches to remain at top of Champions League standings.
E no go easy against opponent wey dey have spectacular season and still unbeaten. Mourinho tok for pre-match press conference say, ‘We put pressure on ourselves because we want to win.’ Tchouameni also talk: ‘It’s an important match, and we want to win and keep adding points in the Champions.’ Di midfielder na one of 23 players wey dey squad list for dis match. Dis go be second game in just three days, as intense October continue, during which our team go play two more LaLiga matches, including El Clásico, and another Champions League fixture.
Roma, di team wey Gasperini dey manage, never lose for official competitions, with record of four wins and three draws. One of those draws come for their Champions League opener away against Fenerbahçe, 1-1. For Italian league, dem dey third with 14 points, just two behind leaders Inter Milan and Lazio. Donyell Malen, top scorer in Serie A, dey lead their scoring chart with six goals, all of them for national championship.
Real Madrid travel go Italian capital for first time since 2018, as dem face Roma team wey dey celebrate their Champions League return at Stadio Olimpico. Long-time Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini inspire Roma to third-place finish for Serie A last season, and dem look primed to compete with Inter Milan for Scudetto dis term. Gasperini side unbeaten through six league outings, and dem bin forced to impressively grind out a point at fellow Champions League participants Como at weekend after top scorer Donyell Malen bin sent off. For Europe, their league phase campaign start with admirable 1-1 draw at Fenerbahçe last month, while Madrid edge past Inter 2-1 at Santiago Bernabéu.
José Mourinho, of course, get special affinity with Nerazzurri, and Olimpico faithful sure to give di ‘Special One’ warm welcome on Wednesday evening. Mourinho, on him 2021 return to Italy after more than decade away, guide Roma to Conference League glory at end of him first season for Eternal City. He depart at start of 2024 after two-and-a-half years at helm. Dis occasion undoubtedly mean plenty to Mourinho, given wetin him Roma team achieve for Tirana in May 2022. Rome don fall for Gasperini as e bin fall for José, and current boss go hope to improve rather uninspiring head-to-head record against returning Real Madrid manager.
Mourinho Madrid never exactly convince on either side of extended international break, with Los Blancos claim necessary but stodgy victory over Villarreal at weekend to remain six points behind Barcelona for La Liga. Yan Diomande first goal for club bin overshadowed by Vinícius Júnior red card and Mourinho refusal to speak to press postgame. Already, e seem like he dey revert to familiar playbook. Na him team against di world. Prediction: Roma 1-2 Real Madrid.
Donyell Malen red card at weekend no mean say he suspended for Wednesday match. Di Dutchman go serve him ban for Serie A. Malen go lead Roma attack in tandem with Paulo Dybala, who don stay injury-free at start of new season. Star goalkeeper Mile Svilar expected to be out until November with broken finger, and Bryan Cristante also no dey available. Manu Koné and Marten De Roon set to line up for Gasperini midfield. Former Atlético Madrid defender Mario Hermoso face familiar foe, having been involved in 13 Madrid derbies during him time for Spanish capital.
Roma predicted lineup vs Real Madrid (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Rensch, De Roon, Koné, Wesley; Dybala, Soulé; Malen. Madrid dey better spot in terms of availability for dis encounter, with Bernardo Silva and Arda Güler both eligible for match after serving suspensions. However, di two players fit find themselves on bench for Rome. Aurélien Tchouaméni look set to partner Federico Valverde for midfield, and Vinícius Júnior domestic suspension go only encourage Mourinho to start di Brazilian for Europe. Yan Diomande should also keep him place after scoring him first goal for club at weekend. On injury front, visitors currently without Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo and Raúl Asencio.
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Roma (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Tchouaméni; Diomande, Bellingham, Viní Jr; Mbappé.
Roma supporters make sure Jose Mourinho feel love on him return to Stadio Olimpico, saluting their former coach as he arrive Italian capital as Real Madrid manager for Champions League meeting between two sides. Real Madrid travel go Roma on Wednesday for second round of Champions League league phase. Nine minutes in, home end raise pictures of Portuguese lifting Europa Conference League trophy with club roughly four years ago. Banners follow, paying tribute to coach: ‘Whoever brings glory to Rome, Rome will honour him forever. While your hands consecrate the rich spoils, the people grant you eternal glory.’ Mourinho spend three years in charge, from 2021 to 2024, and deliver one trophy: 2022 Europa Conference League. A year later he lose Europa League final to Sevilla. That Conference League triumph end long wait. Roma never win European title since lifting Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1961.
