Manchester United v AS Roma - UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD4
Photo by Naomi Baker – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Manchester United turned back the clock on their greatest comebacks by stealing AS Roma’s thunder in the Champions League.
Being 2-0 down after just 18 minutes, obituaries were being written about Man Utd and Michael Carrick, but the script had something else in store.
Three unanswered goals in the second half saw United turn it around to cement another famous night at Old Trafford under the lights.
Here’s how the Italian press reacted to United’s comeback victory spurred by a rabid Old Trafford support.
Italian press on Man Utd’s comeback win vs AS Roma
To be fair to Roma, their manager Gian Piero Gasperini warned before the game that United could wake up at any time because the squad was too good to continue to struggle.
It took two early goals for United to discover their pride again, but once it happened and they started showing effort and energy, the fans in the stadium smelled blood.
The atmosphere felt like a cauldron to Roma, who wilted under the pressure, leaving the Italian press in awe of what United managed to do on the day.
Gazzetta dello Sport called Old Trafford the “Theatre of Nightmares” for the Italian side, where one goal from United saw them “banish the demons” of their nine-game winless run.
Forza Roma credited the “psychological grit” provided by Old Trafford, which transformed a “broken, crisis-ridden” Man Utd into a “high-octane battle unit”.
Tutto AS Roma praised Carrick’s in-game management, as his substitutes sparked the comeback, with special praise going to Shea Lacey’s game-changing contribution.
Corriere dello Sport accepted that there is an “Old Trafford taboo”, with Roma losing their last three meetings at this stadium, and spurning a glorious chance to win this time.
Calciomercato) called Cunha “glaciale”, which translates to “ice-cold”, praising his finishing ability that saw him score twice to turn the game in United’s favour.
The challenge for United is to repeat this performance at the weekend against Aston Villa to prove that they are not a team of moments, picking and choosing when to turn up.