Following their narrow 1-0 win over Villarreal in La Liga, Real Madrid are in action tonight in the UEFA Champions League as they take on AS Roma in Matchday two of the league phase .

The Spanish capital giants kicked off their European campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu. They will now be eager to make it two in two in the competition tonight at Stadio Olimpico.

Things will be anything but easy though considering the solid start that the Giallorossi have made under Gian Piero Gasperini, stitching together a seven-game unbeaten run, although they have only one win in their last four matches.

Roma’s first Champions League of the game against Fenerbahce also ended in a 1-1 draw last month. Nonetheless, buoyed by their home support, the Serie A bigwigs will fancy their chances, especially against a Real Madrid side that has yet to find its best version.

Los Blancos go into the game with four absentees: Eder Militao, Raul Asencio, Rodrygo Goes, and Ferland Mendy, with the Frenchman being not registered in the competition.

Vinicius Jr. will be available for the game as his impending suspension for a red card against Villarreal will only be applicable in La Liga. Meanwhile, Dean Huijsen is back in the squad after missing Saturday’s game due to a suspension.

Here’s how Jose Mourinho could set his Real Madrid team up as he returns to Stadio Olimpico to face his former employers.

Thibaut Courtois remains an undisputed starter in goal and one of Real Madrid’s most important players on the pitch. Having secured his second clean sheet of the season over the weekend, the Belgian ace will hope to add another on tonight.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Guler, Vinicius start in a 4-2-3-1: How Real Madrid can line up against AS Roma" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Champions League metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

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