Roma vs Real Madrid: The tactics board - Mourinho's late substitutions spark sensational comeback

Gasperini deployed a rigid 3-4-3 formation designed to suffocate Madrid’s build-up play. The primary objective was to execute a high-pressing system, with the midfield acting as the pivot to disrupt Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni as they attempted to distribute the ball from deep.

Roma’s wing-backs, Nahuel Molina and Wesley, were instructed to push incredibly high, forcing Los Blancos' full-backs into defensive retreats and creating a five-man attacking line during sustained possession phases.

In possession, Roma focused on verticality. Marten de Roon, who opened the scoring in the 20th minute, acted as the defensive anchor, allowing Manu Kone and later Niccolo Pisilli to drive forward into the half-spaces. The pressing triggers were clear: whenever the ball moved to Madrid’s centre-backs, Roma’s front two, spearheaded by Donyell Malen, would curve their runs to cut off passing lanes to the wings.

This forced Thibaut Courtois into several long-ball situations where Roma’s back three, led by Gianluca Mancini, held a physical advantage. Malen’s second-half double, facilitated by assists from Rodrigo Mora and Matias Soule, was a direct result of Roma winning the ball high up the pitch and exploiting a disjointed Madrid backline that struggled with Roma's overlapping runs.

Real Madrid lined up in a 4-2-3-1 that often looked like a 4-4-2 in the defensive phase. Mourinho’s plan focused on mid-block stability, attempting to lure Roma’s wing-backs forward to leave space for Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe on the counter.

The double pivot of Valverde and Tchouameni was tasked with screening the defence against Dybala’s trickery, though they often found themselves outnumbered by Roma’s marauding midfielders. Mbappe’s 25th-minute equaliser showcased the plan's potential, as he exploited a rare lapse in Roma's man-marking system.

Defensively, Antonio Rudiger and Ibrahima Konate were required to defend large spaces due to the attacking license given to Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella.

As the game progressed, Madrid’s shape became increasingly stretched. The visitors struggled with Roma’s 54% possession and the numerical superiority created by Malen’s movement between the lines. However, the fundamental tactical pillar for Madrid remained their efficiency in the final third; despite having less of the ball, they maintained a higher Expected Goals (xG) of 1.655, suggesting that when they did break through the Roma press, the quality of the chances created was superior to those of the hosts.

The defining battle occurred in the wide areas. For 60 minutes, Roma’s wing-backs dominated, pinning Madrid back and allowing Malen to find pockets of space in the box.

Gasperini won the initial tactical skirmish by overloading the central areas, forcing Valverde to drop deeper and isolating Mbappe. Roma’s 3-1 lead was a fair reflection of their ability to execute a complex tactical blueprint against a more reactive side.

However, the game turned on the mismatch between Roma’s tiring high-press and Madrid’s fresh legs. As Roma’s energy levels dipped, their man-marking system began to fray at the edges. The space behind Molina and Wesley, previously controlled by the back three, became a playground for Madrid’s late arrivals.

The tactical battle was ultimately won not by the starting XI, but by Mourinho’s recognition that Roma’s system is physically unsustainable for 90 minutes under constant pressure.

Mourinho executed a two substitution in the 59th minute that fundamentally altered the match's geometry. By introducing Arda Guler and Endrick for Vinicius and Dumfries, he shifted the point of attack. Guler’s introduction was particularly impactful; moving from a traditional winger role to an inverted playmaker, he provided the creative vision that had been missing. His two assists he provided from corner-kick situations in the final minutes offered a glimpse of his ability to find pockets of space among the Roma players.

Gasperini attempted to counter this by bringing on Leonardo Balerdi and Lorenzo Pellegrini to restore defensive solidity, but the momentum had shifted. The late introduction of Carlos Espi for Madrid provided a physical focal point that Roma’s tired three-man defence could not contain. Between the 82nd and 90th minutes, Madrid abandoned their pragmatic shape for a total-attack 3-2-5, committing bodies forward to capitalise on Roma’s defensive panic. Rudiger’s 90th-minute winner was the culmination of this relentless late-game pressure.

Ultimately, the match was decided by the depth and versatility of Los Blancos' bench. While Roma’s 3-4-3 was tactically superior for the majority of the contest, they lacked the reactive capacity to handle Mourinho’s late-game gamble. The transition from a structured mid-block to an all-out attacking force allowed Madrid to score three goals in the final eight minutes plus stoppage time. Roma’s commitment to a high-intensity press proved to be their undoing, as the resulting fatigue opened the tactical gaps that Guler and Endrick were perfectly suited to exploit.