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De Rossi played all 90 minutes as the Giallorossi began their 2018-19 group stage campaign with a 3-0 defeat against holders Real Madrid, taking his record to 58 appearances in Europe’s top club competition.
As he a result he pulled clear of former teammate Francesco Totti, who recorded 57 appearances in the Champions League during his career.
De Rossi’s relationship with the Champions League is a long one – in an unusual turn of events, he actually made his debut for the Giallorossi in the competition, coming on as a substitute against Anderlecht in the 2001-02 group stage.
Seventeen years later, as he set a new club record, another teammate followed in his footsteps in that regard; fellow midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo making his first appearance for Roma at the Santiago Bernabeu.
This season is De Rossi’s 10th campaign in the Champions League. He also played both play-off legs during the 2016-17 campaign, when the Giallorossi failed to reach the competition proper.
Totti remains Roma’s all-time leading appearance-maker in all European competitions.
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