AS Roma v Sporting CP

 

AS Roma v Sporting CP
Tuesday December 8th, 2026
Stadio Olimpico
UEFA Champions League Matchday 6

Matchday 1 - Fenerbaçhe (A) 1-1 D

Head in hands from Dybala who unmarked could only fire straight at the keeper from 7 yards with 20 minutes played. The Italians however did break the deadlock on 38’ when Cristante fired low into the bottom left hand corner from 20 yards. It took the Turkish side just 2 minutes to find the equaliser after half time as Brown dinked the ball over the onrushing keeper from 12 yards for 1-1. Muriqi should have made it 2-1 on 51’ but Svilar somehow stopped the shot from 8 yards with his outstretched boot. On 71’ Aydin saw his shot from 7 yards deflect off the boot of a defender and head goalwards but with the pace taken off the ball Svilar was somehow able to get a hand to it and clear the danger. 

xG 1.64 - 0.53

Total Attempts 11 - 8

Shots on target 4 - 3

Big chances 3 - 1

Big chances missed 2 - 1

Matchday 2 - Real Madrid (H) 3-4 L

José Mourinho took his charges to Rome to take on the side he took to a Europa Conference League title and a Europa League Final. Dutch forward Donyell Malen available for Gasperini after his sending off over the weekend against Como as the suspension will be served in Serie A. 

3’ Hermoso with a really intelligent drag back inside the box to fashion the chance to shoot from 17 yards brought a flying save from Courtois to his right to keep the score at 0-0. Sloppy defending at the back for Madrid saw them concede possession in the play that led to the opening goal for Roma. de Roon fires home from 22 yards centrally. Mbappé’s equaliser on 24 minutes came from an utter thunder bastard from 23 yards which flicked off Mancini's leg and up over Gollini but take nothing away from the strike it looked a spectacular goal all the same and you only see it hits the defender from the rear view. 

Roma was definitely glad Malen wasn't suspended for the Champions League as he made it 2-1 on 50 minutes as his shot from 7 yards hits a defenders left, bounces down and then back over Courtois who had made himself low to try to block the effort. Touch of fortune but they all count. 56’ Real were trying to claim for a penalty as Bellingham went down in the box but the referee played on, Roma quickly on the counter attack and the ball eventually threaded through to Malen who slotted home from 13 yards but with no celebration owing to a flag up on the far side. Automatic offside checker showed he was played on, Roma 3-1 up. 67’ Mbappé picks the ball up from a pass just inside the Roma half and runs into the box, rounds the keeper and slots home but unlike Malen was inches offside. Still 3-1. Gollini saves a header from Hendrick forced over the line by Espí 82 from 2 yards. Again no celebration. Reviewed again, goal stands. 3-2. Corner far side two minutes later and this time Gollini doesn't get on the end of Endrick's header from 8 yards and it's 3-3. 13 seconds of the 90 remaining when a corner kick on the near side is met by Rüdiger from 2 yards out who basically stuck a leg out in hope with a defender either side and somehow the ball went in to break Roman hearts. 

xG 1.43 - 1.83

Total Attempts 14 - 16

Shots on target 7 - 8 

Big chances 3 - 3 

Big chances missed 1 - 1

Matchday 3 - Slovan Bratislava (H) 4-0 W

A truly humbling night away in Rome for the Slovakian Champions. Roma bounced back from their disappointment on Matchday 2 when they threw away a 3-1 lead at the Stadio Olympico to José Mourinho’s Real Madrid. 

The visitors with one solitary attempt over the 90 minutes.

21’ Guilardo headed down for Hermoso to make it 1-0 with a header a yard out at the back post. 34’ Former Porto player Mora had his blushes spared by the offside flag after Malen had put him clean through with the goal at his mercy and he somehow sliced it wide from 7 yards. 38’ Malen’s effort from 8 yards trying to find the bottom right hand corner was saved but pushed only as far as the feet of Molina who scored from 3 yards. 51’ Five defenders in between Pisilli and the goal 7 yards out and yet he still stabbed home past them all and the keeper for 3-0. 55’ Wesley was clipped by Blackman inside the box and a penalty awarded. Malen found the bottom left hand corner to make it 4-0. 85’ Mora unmarked from 6 yards out shot straight at the keeper this time. Not the youngsters night. What idiot tipped him as the next big thing to come out of Portugal a couple of seasons back. *whistles.

xG 3.58 - 0.02

Total Attempts 26 - 1

Shots on target 10 - 0

Big chances 5 - 0

Big chances missed 1 - 0