Real Madrid secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over AEK Athens in the Champions League, with Federico Valverde scoring a stoppage-time winner. The win in Greece ensures Real Madrid maintain a perfect record of 12 points from four matches in the competition, surpassing their qualification target.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side demonstrated resilience, coming from behind twice in a hard-fought encounter. AEK Athens took the lead in the 12th minute through Koita. Real Madrid responded before the half-hour mark when Jude Bellingham equalised with a backheel finish in the 32nd minute.
The hosts regained their advantage with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, as Stavros Pilios found the net. However, Real Madrid quickly cancelled out the lead, with Kylian Mbappé scoring to make it 2-2 less than three minutes later. The decisive moment arrived in the second minute of stoppage time when substitute captain Federico Valverde struck from long range, completing another away comeback for the Spanish giants.
The match concluded with further drama as AEK’s opening scorer, Koita, was sent off after the final whistle for persistent protests to the referee.
Competition Standing and Team News
Real Madrid’s flawless European campaign now includes victories against Inter (2-1), Roma (4-3), RB Leipzig (4-1), and AEK Athens. This consistent performance has seen them achieve their initial target for progression in the Champions League.
Attention for Real Madrid now shifts to domestic duties, where they face upcoming La Liga matches without Vinícius. The forward is serving a four-game ban, upheld by the RFEF Appeals Committee, for incidents involving pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair against Villarreal and confronting the referee. His suspension covers league games against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing, and the upcoming fixture at Valencia’s Mestalla on 7 November.
Valverde’s match-winning contribution was particularly significant given his recent fitness. He had experienced discomfort in his right hamstring during a previous match but started on the bench in Athens, making a crucial impact upon his introduction.
Looking ahead, Real Madrid will host PSV in the Champions League on 24 November, before travelling to face Arsenal on 9 December.