Kick-off at the Olimpico

Roma and Real Madrid meet at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, in the second matchday of the Champions League league phase, with kick-off at 21:00 local time. ANSA's live coverage, updated at 19:05 UTC (21:05 in Warsaw), showed the score at 0-0. The stadium was expected to be sold out. Former Roma captain Francesco Totti was among those attending, telling ANSA he had found tickets after two years away from the ground. He had also received a career 'player of the match' award at a Panini album presentation in Lissone.

Roma's approach and team news

Roma arrive after a 1-1 draw at Fenerbahce on 10 September and a 0-0 draw with Como in Serie A. RTVE places Roma third in Serie A. On the eve of the match, Gian Piero Gasperini said Roma would keep their own identity rather than change their approach for Real Madrid, and he described the fixture as a test:

It is the chance to measure ourselves against them.

Gasperini added that Roma wanted to find out how competitive they can be against one of Europe's strongest sides. Mile Svilar, the first-choice goalkeeper, is out with a fractured little toe on his right foot, so Pierluigi Gollini starts in goal. Bryan Cristante is doubtful with knee inflammation, and Lorenzo Pellegrini is expected to return after 183 days out. Former Atletico players Mario Hermoso and Nahuel Molina are in the starting line-up.

Real Madrid, Vinicius and Mourinho

Real Madrid beat Inter 2-1 at the Bernabeu on 8 September in their Champions League opener, then won 1-0 at home to Villarreal in LaLiga on 10 October. Vinicius Junior was sent off against Villarreal and misses the next LaLiga matches because of a sanction, yet he starts against Roma. According to RTVE, Asencio, Rodrygo, Mendy and Militao are unavailable. Jose Mourinho, who won the Conference League with Roma in 2022, said before kick-off:

I have to forget where I am and who I am playing against, for me it will be one more match.

Mourinho also questioned why the disciplinary committee had made the Vinicius sanction public at this point, asking why it did so two hours before an important match for Real Madrid.

Officials and head-to-head

Francois Letexier of France is the referee, assisted by Mugnier and Rahmouni, with Bastien Dechepy as fourth official. Dennis Higler is the VAR and Pol van Boekel the AVAR, both from the Netherlands. The two clubs have met 12 times in the Champions League and its predecessor, the European Cup, with Real Madrid winning 8 matches, Roma 3 and one ending in a draw. Their most recent meeting came in the 2018-19 group stage, when Real won 3-0 at home and 2-0 at the Olimpico. Roma's only home win over Real came on 19 February 2008, a 2-1 first-leg victory in the round of 16.