Serie A sides endure humbling Champions League match day

Oct 14 : Serie A clubs set an unwelcome record on Wednesday as two defeats ensured that all four Italian teams lost on the same Champions League match day for the first time in history.

AS Roma were beaten 4-3 at home by Real Madrid and debutants Como lost 3-2 to Feyenoord in Rotterdam. On Tuesday, Inter Milan went down 4-3 at home to Belgian side Club Brugge, and Napoli succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at Villarreal.

For Serie A champions Inter, the home setback against Brugge highlighted a stark decline in form. Inter have now lost seven of their last eight Champions League games, a far cry from the side that reached the final in 2023 and 2025.

Italian football is in a transitional period following the national team's failure to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive tournament. The Italian Football Federation is under the temporary stewardship of special administrator Giovanni Malago after he resigned as president this month.

Roma looked on course for a famous victory over record 15-times European champions Real as they led 3-1 after a Donyell Malen double. The Italians, however, conceded three goals in the final seven minutes with former Roma defender Antonio Rudiger delivering Madrid's 90th-minute winner.

"It has to be a valuable lesson, we need to be fully focused for the full 90 minutes plus stoppages. I think it has to be an issue of mentality, because when you concede three practically identical goals in seven minutes, something is wrong," Roma forward Matias Soule told Amazon Prime.

Como manager Cesc Fabregas admitted the elite European competition comes with a steep learning curve after his side suffered a narrow defeat at Feyenoord.

"The Champions League is the strongest competition. There is a higher level here than at a World Cup," Fabregas said. "It is a gift for this club and I will keep saying it. We will get there step by step, we have a path to follow. We need to keep cool heads and be consistent."