Gasperini stunned as Real Madrid’s set-piece comeback defeats Roma

Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini said he was surprised by his side’s failure to defend set pieces after Real Madrid scored three late goals to win 4-3 in the Champions League.

Real Madrid came from 3-1 down after 82 minutes to beat the Italian side at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome in the second round of the competition’s league phase.

Roma appeared to be heading for victory after establishing a two-goal advantage in the second half. However, Real Madrid scored three times in the closing stages, with all three goals coming from corners.

“We stopped at the finish line and did not expect that,” Gasperini told Amazon Prime. “We were far too passive at corners. We played a great match, and it surprises me that we conceded from a corner, considering how many Real Madrid took, even in the first half.”

Roma took the lead in the 20th minute through Martin de Roon, but Real Madrid responded quickly. Kylian Mbappe equalised five minutes later to leave the teams level at 1-1 at half-time.

The hosts regained control after the interval when Donyell Malen scored twice, in the 51st and 57th minutes, to put Roma 3-1 ahead.

Real Madrid’s late revival began in the 83rd minute, when substitute Carlos Espi pulled a goal back. Endrick, who had also come off the bench, then levelled two minutes later.

Antonio Rudiger completed the turnaround in the first minute of added time, scoring the winner to secure a 4-3 victory for the Spanish club.

Gasperini said Roma had opportunities to make the match more comfortable but instead allowed Real Madrid back into the contest.

“We could have extended the lead, but instead we conceded from a set piece and were back to square one in the 82nd minute,” he said.

The Roma manager also explained that several changes were forced by injuries and fatigue rather than tactical preference.

“Some of the substitutions were forced, such as the departures of Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso,” he added. “We do not have many substitutes available. Manu Kone is suffering from a muscle injury, while Dybala felt fatigued. The others are dealing with minor pain.”

Roma’s defeat came despite remaining in front until the final stages, as Real Madrid’s three corner-based goals transformed a match in which the Italian side had appeared to be on course for a significant result.