ROME -- There is no place like Rome, and if you're Jose Mourinho, it can get even better. It was an emotional night at the Stadio Olimpico as AS Roma welcomed Real Madrid and their former coach and lost 4-3 to the Spanish giants at the end of a crazy second half, when AS Roma were up 3-1 until the 83rd minute before conceding three goals in the last seven minutes with three corner kicks and the goals of Carlos Espi, Endrick and Toni Rudiger. 

Roma fans left the stadium softly chanting after losing their first match back at the Stadio Olimpico seven years after playing their last home game in the top European tournament. Mourinho, on the other hand, seemed particularly happy to win but was also received as a hero by his former fans. For the Portuguese coach, this is a statement win. He replaced players such as Vinicius Jr., Yan Diomande, Denzel Dumfries in the second half and won on his own terms. At the final whistle, he left the pitch pointing a finger at the sky: it was a crazy win, and it was also his night, defeating the club that he led to UEFA Conference League glory just over four years ago.

Gian Piero Gasperini, the current AS Roma coach, was basically the one who ended the stint of Mourinho at the Italian club, as the defeat against Atalanta that took place in January 2024 convinced American businessman and AS Roma owner Dan Friedkin to sack the Portuguese coach three years after shocking the world by appointing him. Two years later, the world is different in Rome. Gasperini is convincing week after week that he's the right coach in the right place but the defeat against Real Madrid is another signal that they shouldn't consider themselves at the level of the top European teams yet. 

With all the issues of Real Madrid that need to be taken into account, it was a moment of revelation for Gasperini and his team until the 83rd minute, before the mistakes of the Italian defense and the quality of the Real Madrid players took over. Until then, everything was just perfect: the performance and the players who scored the three AS Roma goals are a reflection of that. Marten De Roon, the Dutch midfielder that Gasperini had at Atalanta and brought to Rome this summer, opened the score, followed by Danyell Malen's brace, the most crucial signing that AS Roma made in recent years. 

But in the end, more than anything, it was mainly the night of Mourinho, as he made his comeback in the city for the first time since his sacking in 2024. A place that loved him like few before, and welcomed him with respect and admiration, the same feelings they showed to him when he was on the Roma bench were existent on Wednesday night.

In the first moments of the game, Mourinho didn't seek attention; he didn't need it. He spoke nicely about his former team before the game but he knew something would happen on Wednesday. All eyes were on him, even when he hadn't arrived to the bench. When the speaker announced the lineups, before naming the Real Madrid players, he welcomed "The Special One" who managed the club from 2021 to 2024, winning the UEFA Conference League, the first UEFA trophy in the history of the club, and losing the UEFA Europa League final one year later. 

The whole stadium applauded him and the AS Roma pre-match routine took place: the Champions League anthem, the emotional Roma anthem and then it was time for Mourinho again, a few minutes into the match. Roma's Curva Sud wrote on a banner, "Who brings glory to Rome, Rome honors forever. Your hands are blessed and the people tribute you eternal glory," followed by his name chanted by the whole Olimpico and more banners and pictures of him were shown afterwards by the fans. Mourinho sent kisses back, showing his love and appreciation to a place where he is more than a hero.

It seemed a terrible night at one point when Roma were up 3-1, but the epic end of the match just made everything better for him in traditional Real Madrid fashion. 

He'll never admit it, but there must be a special satisfaction in beating the team and owners who sacked him two years earlier. He made a similar point about Chelsea and his former boss, Roman Abramovich, in a recent Netflix documentary. The bond between him and Roma fans runs deep, and their love for him seems eternal. In soccer, nothing lasts forever: results shape the fortunes of players and managers, and even the strongest relationships can fade with time. But Mourinho holds a special place in the hearts of Roma fans, and that affection will never fade, even after wins like these.

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