Real Madrid vs Roma UEFA Champions League 2026-27: Match Preview & Analysis

Stadio Olimpico will host its first UEFA Champions League game in more than six years when Roma take on Real Madrid in an exciting clash on Thursday.

Gian Piero Gasperini has helped Roma return to the Champions League after their last appearance in the 2018/19 season. However, the Italian side have struggled to find their feet in Europe so far. They had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Fenerbahce in their opening league-phase game, leaving them without a win in their last four European outings.

Real Madrid, in contrast, arrive with renewed confidence after beating Villarreal 1-0 in their latest La Liga match. They would aim to dominate this contest as well, however, challenging Roma at their home turf won’t be an easy task.

In this article, we will take a quick overview of the upcoming clash, so that you can understand how both teams are gearing up to dominate the field on Thursday. Let’s first take a look at the complete lineups of both teams below.

Real Madrid Squad for UEFA Champions League 2026-27

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin, Sergio Mestre*, Javi Navarro*

Defenders: Raúl Asencio, Éder Militão, Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, Marc Cucurella, Álvaro Carreras, Antonio Rüdiger, Denzel Dumfries, Jesús Fortea*, Joan Martínez*, Mario Rivas*

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Yan Diomande, Thiago Pitarch*, Jorge Cestero*, Diego Villalba*, Gabriel Valero*, Sergio Martínez

Forwards: Vinícius Júnior, Endrick, Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo, Carlos Espí, Brahim Díaz, Daniel Yáñez*

Roma Squad for UEFA Champions League 2026-27

Goalkeepers: Devis Vasquez, Giorgio De Marzi*, Pierluigi Gollini

Defenders: Devyne Rensch, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Evan N'Dicka, Nahuel Molina, Mario Hermoso, Gianluca Mancini, Leonardo Balerdi, Wesley França, Emanuele Lulli, Daniele Ghilardi

Midfielders: Bryan Cristante, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Marten de Roon, Manu Koné, Niccolò Pisilli

Forwards: Santiago Castro, Donyell Malen, Matías Soulé, Paulo Dybala, Antonio Arena, Rodrigo Mora

Real Madrid vs Roma UEFA Champions League Match Preview

Roma will be eager to put their poor European record at home behind them after losing their last five continental matches at the Olimpico. Another defeat or draw would extend their winless run in UEFA competitions to five games, something they have not experienced since September 2016. Still, there is reason for hope, as Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have avoided defeat in their last eight competitive home games, a run that began in late March.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, have enjoyed plenty of success against Italian teams in the Champions League, winning 19 of their last 21 matches against Serie A clubs. They have also beaten Roma in five of their six away European meetings at the Olimpico, scoring at least twice in each of those victories.

Despite that record, Madrid cannot afford to take this trip lightly. Their recent results away from home in the Champions League have been inconsistent, with four defeats in their last eight away matches. Both losses they have suffered this season have also come on the road, giving them another reason to be cautious ahead of the clash at the Olimpico.

Real Madrid vs Roma UEFA Champions League Venue Details

• Venue: Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy
• Competition: UEFA Champions League 2026-27

Final Words

Roma have yet to lose a match this season and will look to use their home advantage to trouble Real Madrid. However, Madrid’s strong record against Italian clubs makes them hard to rule out. With more attacking options at their disposal and Roma still struggling to deliver in Europe, Real Madrid are tipped to come away with a narrow win at the Stadio Olimpico. Keeping this in view, fans are expecting a tough battle in the upcoming match that could remain highly competitive in both halves.