Real Madrid added to their collection of incredible Champions League victories after pulling off a dramatic comeback to secure all three points in Rome.

José Mourinho's men found themselves two goals down with less than 10 minutes to play, but clawed their way back into the game through goals from substitutes Carlos Espí and Endrick.

Antonio Rüdiger then delivered the final blow as the Spanish side made it two wins out of two in the Champions League.

Mourinho's substitutes make the difference

Despite the victory, the Spanish giant's performance was far from impressive.

The 15-time winners were outplayed for most of the game as the midfield pairing of Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde once again struggled to establish control in the middle of the park, leaving gaps that left the defence vulnerable to Roma's attacks.

Mourinho's star-studded forward line also failed to pose a threat as Kylian Mbappé, despite scoring, cut a frustrated figure for most of the night, while Vinicius Jr. was replaced before the hour mark after another poor showing.

With Madrid two goals down and their superstars unable to make the difference, Mourinho turned to his bench and brought on Endrick and Arda Güler, before also introducing Espí and Bernardo Silva into the action.

The changes proved to be crucial as Espí pulled one back for the visitors four minutes after coming on, and two minutes later Endrick got on the end of Güler's corner to pull the Spanish side level.

The Turkish midfielder turned provider again as he swung in another corner that found its way to Rüdiger this time. The German defender made no mistake with his point-blank finish to complete the comeback.

Espí and Endrick impress

Espí and Endrick's performances could give Mourinho much to think about as the Portuguese manager has struggled to get the most out of his team so far this season.

During their cameos, the duo provided much more of an attacking threat for Madrid, who up to that point had rarely troubled the Italian side's defence.

Espí netted his third goal of the season despite playing only 37 minutes across all competitions.

The Spanish attacker has looked impressive whenever he has been called upon, and his performances with Spain's U21 during the international break, including his five-goal haul against San Marino, recently earned him his first senior call-up.

Although Madrid may have signed him from Levante to serve as a rotational option, his impact will make it hard for Mourinho to keep him out of the starting 11 for much longer. With Vinicius facing a four-match ban in La Liga, Espí could establish himself as a regular starter in the coming weeks.

The same can be said for Endrick, who was the visitors' best player after coming on against Roma. The Brazilian added some much-needed life to his side's attack and was a constant threat.

His equaliser was the cherry on top of an impressive performance that earned him the player of the match award.

After his fruitful loan spell at Lyon last season, the belief was that the 20-year-old would be given more of a chance to prove himself at the Santiago Bernabéu this time around. However, the striker had played only four minutes all season before Wednesday's game.

With the exception of Mbappé, Mourinho's first-choice attackers have failed to impress this season. Meanwhile, Endrick and Espí have presented themselves as reliable alternatives who are also willing to contribute defensively.

The trio worked extremely well in the 4-4-2 deployed by Madrid's manager in the dying minutes, with Endrick moving out to the wing.

Whether Wednesday's performance will convince Mourinho to give the duo more responsibility remains to be seen; however, it is clear that Endrick and Espí are ready to establish themselves as starters.