Real Madrid’s European play is beginning to become routine. AS Roma became the fourth consecutive team to knock Madrid out of the European Champions League at the first knockout stage, the Italian club winning 2-1 Wednesday for a 4-2 aggregate win.

Roma midfielder Taddei headed in the first goal in the 73rd minute, two minutes after Madrid defender Pepe — acquired for euro30 million (US$46 million) from FC Porto — was sent off for a tackle on substitute Mirko Vucinic. It was the Portugal defender’s second booking of the night.

Madrid hit back soon after though, as Raul got to Robinho’s pass in the 75th to beat goalkeeper Alexander Doni to the right side. But Vucinic knocked in substitute Christian Panucci’s cross two minutes into injury-time for the winning goal.

And just as Juventus, Arsenal and Bayern Munich did before, Roma knocked Europe’s greatest team out of its top competition on its home turf.

Six-year rut

Six years removed from its record ninth European Cup title, Madrid spent over euro120 million (US$183 million) in the off-season to end its continental funk.

Manager Bernd Schuster felt it was money well-spent, judging by his team’s effort against a very “organised” Roma.

“To me it’s not a loss. The ball just didn’t go in,” the German said. “For the difficulty of the rival... I can’t ask for more.”

Ramon Calderon was rather more blunt when speaking to Cadena Ser radio. “It was undoubtedly a collapse. We can’t hide from that. But it’s the fourth straight year that it’s happened to us so it’s nothing new,” the Madrid president said. “We played better there and lost. We played worse here and lost.”

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