Antonio Rüdiger’s 90th-minute winner completed Real Madrid’s 4-3 comeback from 3-1 down at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night. Within an hour of the final whistle, Roma had lost both their playmaker and their most important midfielder to muscle trouble, and the week before a Serie A fixture had turned into a hospital pass.

Kone was the first to go. The France international pulled up after just 17 minutes with an apparent muscle problem and walked off with his shirt pulled over his face. His France team-mates in white noticed; Kylian Mbappé, Ibrahima Konaté and Aurélien Tchouaméni all broke off to check on him before Niccolò Pisilli came on in his place.

Dybala followed at the interval. He did not emerge for the second half with what Sky Sport Italia described as a muscular issue needing further tests, and Rodrigo Mora replaced him. Roma were 1-1 when he went off; by the final whistle they had led 3-1 and lost 4-3.

Three goals in seven minutes

Donyell Malen had put the hosts 3-1 up with a brace early in the second half before Carlos Espí, Endrick and Rüdiger each struck from corners inside a seven-minute window. For José Mourinho, back in Rome where he spent two-and-a-half years as Roma manager and lifted the UEFA Conference League, the night ended as a 4-3 win over his old club.

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A squad already thin

Gasperini had warned repeatedly that his squad was stretched between Serie A and the Champions League. Beyond Kone and Dybala, Roma are without goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who is out at least a month with a fractured toe, and midfielder Bryan Cristante with a knee problem. Malen, Wednesday’s scorer, is suspended for the Genoa trip after a red card against Como.

Roma visit Genoa in Serie A on Saturday.

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