Donyell Malen walked out at a sold-out Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night carrying more baggage than most players would want into a Champions League showdown with Real Madrid. Four days earlier, the Dutch forward had been sent off in Roma’s goalless draw at Como, an incident that left him fearing for his team’s Serie A position and his own immediate future. Yet Roma named him in the starting line-up for the visit of José Mourinho’s Real Madrid, alongside Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé in attack, with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Rodrigo Mora among the substitutes.
And the night delivered. Dutch-language live coverage from HLN reported that Malen left Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois beaten with a deflected shot as the Spanish side were forced to chase the game against Roma. For a player who had spent the week bracing for a suspension, it was some way to answer.
The red card that ruined his Sunday
Malen was dismissed in the 53rd minute at Como for a foul deemed worthy of a straight red card. Roma drew that match 0-0, dropped critical points and slipped to third place in Serie A, two points behind leaders Inter Milan.
The 1999-born striker did not hide from it. “Personally, I’m less frustrated now. It happened; I didn’t intend to hurt anyone. So we move on,” Malen told the official Roma website. The harder part, he admitted, came after his dismissal. “After the match, watching my teammates play was one of the most stressful experiences I’ve had in a long time. When you receive a red card, and your team loses, you feel it’s your fault.”
His response to the looming ban has been to draw a line under domestic matters and pour his energy into Europe. “I think the next match is a separate occasion and has little to do with what happened. So we move on,” he said.
How long will Malen be suspended?
That question sits with sports judge Gerardo Mastrandea, whose decision on the Como red card was expected on the day of the Real Madrid match. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, as reported in the build-up, the player and Roma expect the minimum sanction: a one-match ban that would rule him out of the league game against Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa.
A two-match ban has not been ruled out, however, and much depends on what referee Fabbri writes in his match report. That scenario matters enormously for Roma, because a second match would mean missing Napoli-Roma, scheduled for Saturday, 24 October at 18:00 — a fixture the club is desperate to have him available for.
The Bellingham reunion
Wednesday’s fixture also carried a personal storyline. Malen came face to face with Jude Bellingham, his former Borussia Dortmund team-mate. The two shared the pitch in Germany between 2021 and 2023, before Bellingham left for Real Madrid. Malen stayed at Dortmund until 2025, moved to Aston Villa and then completed his switch to Roma in January.
“No, I haven’t spoken to him. I know him very well; we played together for a long time,” Malen said when asked about the England midfielder. “He’s a truly special player with incredible quality. I also have a great relationship with him, and I haven’t seen him for a while, so it will be nice to meet again.”
Why Malen is untouchable in Rome right now
There was never really a debate about whether Malen should start. Since swapping the Premier League for Serie A in January, the Dutchman has been in remarkable form. He leads the Serie A scoring charts this season with six goals in six league matches, and his overall record for Roma stands at 21 goals in 21 appearances across all competitions.
Malen credits the environment as much as his own finishing. “First of all, the coach, who trusts me and gives me plenty of playing time,” he said. “I also think my teammates welcomed me very warmly for who I am, both as a person and as a player. They have always supported me, as has the coaching staff. Then there are the fans and the city, which I find truly fantastic. I believe that when you put all these things together, a player can perform at their best.”
A first home Champions League night since 2019
Wednesday marked a milestone for the club as much as the player: Roma’s first home Champions League match since 2019, when they were eliminated in the round of 16. In the years since, the Giallorossi have still had European nights to savour, most notably lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League title in the 2021-22 season under Mourinho — the same coach who now stands in the opposition dugout for Real Madrid.
Roma qualified for the Champions League for the first time in seven years, and Malen has not forgotten what that return meant to the squad. “When I arrived here last year, one of our main goals was to return to the Champions League. Now, having the opportunity to play our first home match against Real Madrid is truly special, and we’re all really looking forward to it,” he said.
He also believes the Olimpico crowd can be the difference. “When you play away, there are even more factors to consider. This time, however, we’re playing at home in front of our fans. I believe they can give us tremendous support. It’s something special.”
Soulé senses something special
Malen was not the only Roma player talking up the occasion before kick-off. Soulé, who has been team-mates with Dybala for three years and knew the Argentine from his time at Juventus, told Amazon Prime Video Italia: “It is a special match, a great game to be involved in and we hope to do well.”
History was stacked against Roma — they had lost their last four competitive meetings with Real Madrid — but they arrived unbeaten this season in all competitions. Soulé was in no doubt about the scale of the task, nor the mood inside the dressing room. “We know how good Real Madrid are and what they represent, especially in the Champions League, but there is enthusiasm and the desire to do well in these games,” he said. “It could be a magical night.”
Real Madrid, for their part, are not the impenetrable force of old this season; they had conceded seven goals in their first nine games heading into the trip to Rome. Malen, starting in attack with Dybala and Soulé, was picked by many as the man most likely to exploit that vulnerability — and HLN’s live coverage suggested he did exactly that, with his deflected shot leaving Courtois with no chance as Real Madrid were made to chase the game at the Olimpico.
Whatever the sports judge rules on the Como red card in the coming days, Malen has already made his point: the ban may take him off the team sheet in Serie A, but on Europe’s biggest stage, Roma’s Dutch striker is very much present.
FAQ
Why was Donyell Malen sent off against Como?
Malen was dismissed in the 53rd minute of Roma’s goalless draw at Como for a foul deemed worthy of a straight red card. Roma dropped points in the match and slipped to third in Serie A, two points behind leaders Inter Milan.
How many matches could Malen miss through suspension?
Roma and the player expect the minimum one-match ban, which would rule him out of the league game against Genoa. A two-match ban has not been ruled out and would also exclude him from Napoli-Roma on Saturday, 24 October at 18:00.
What is Donyell Malen's record at Roma?
Since joining Roma from Aston Villa in January, Malen has scored 21 goals in 21 appearances across all competitions, including six goals in six Serie A matches this season, leading the league’s scoring charts.
What is Malen's connection to Jude Bellingham?
The two played together at Borussia Dortmund between 2021 and 2023 before Bellingham moved to Real Madrid. Malen remained at Dortmund until 2025, when he joined Aston Villa and later Roma.