AEK Athens 2-3 Real Madrid: Valverde's Stoppage-Time Strike Completes Comeback in Athens

Real Madrid needed a late goal to escape Athens on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Federico Valverde hit a long-range strike in stoppage time to give the visitors a 3-2 win over AEK Athens in the UEFA Champions League. Madrid trailed twice, including with 15 minutes left. The win keeps them perfect after four games of the league phase, BBC Sport reported.

For AEK, it was a painful finish to a night when the Greek champions looked close to a famous result.

AEK Athens vs. Real Madrid: the result in brief

• Final: AEK Athens 2, Real Madrid 3
• Halftime: 1-1
• AEK goals: Aboubakary Koïta 12’, Stavros Pilios 75’
• Real Madrid goals: Jude Bellingham 32’, Kylian Mbappé 78’, Federico Valverde 90’+2
• Red card: Koïta (AEK), shown after the final whistle, per BBC Sport
• Attendance: 30,368, according to BBC Sport

The match kicked off at 7:45 p.m. local time (12:45 p.m. ET). AEK’s club site lists Italian referee Maurizio Mariani.

How AEK took the lead twice

AEK made a dream start. Koïta drove a powerful left-footed finish past Thibaut Courtois in the 12th minute, set up by Luka Jović, ESPN and BBC Sport reported. Real Madrid’s official match report says Courtois then made an important save from a Jović shot inside the area five minutes later.

Madrid had an early Bellingham goal ruled out for offside after a review, the club said, before he leveled in the 32nd minute. BBC Sport described it as “an outrageous bit of skill”: a back-heel across the face of goal from Marc Cucurella’s cross. BBC Sport added that the goal made Bellingham, at 23 years and 128 days, the youngest player to score in seven straight Champions League seasons, passing teammate Mbappé.

Madrid controlled much of the second half. ESPN put the expected goals (xG) at 3.35 for Madrid against 0.87 for AEK. Still, the hosts struck next. In the 75th minute, Stavros Pilios first made a goal-saving block on Mbappé, then raced up the field and finished a move set up by Koïta with a near-post shot, BBC Sport reported.

Mbappé and Valverde turn it around

The lead lasted three minutes. Denzel Dumfries delivered a ball from the right, and Mbappé finished at the far post in the 78th minute. Real Madrid said it was the sixth game in a row in which the Frenchman has scored, and he has scored in all four Champions League matches this season.

Mbappé nearly added another in the 86th minute, but AEK goalkeeper Brignoli made a strong save in a one-on-one and the ball hit the crossbar, according to the club’s report.

Then came the winner. In the second minute of stoppage time, Valverde fired a right-footed shot from outside the box into the top right corner, assisted by Brahim Díaz, per Sky Sports’ live commentary. Real Madrid’s report called it “a spectacular strike from the edge of the area” that “secured the victory for Mourinho’s team.”

Frustration boiled over for AEK after the final whistle, and Koïta was sent off, BBC Sport reported. Reports so far don’t explain what led to the red card or what suspension he could face.

What the result means in the standings

BBC Sport’s table after the match had Real Madrid second with 12 points from four games and AEK Athens 29th with 3 points. ESPN lists Madrid at 4-0-0 and AEK at 1-0-3.

For AEK, a loss that came this close stings, with the club stuck near the bottom of the table.

For Madrid, it was another comeback away from home. The club’s own report highlighted that the team has collected “a perfect 12 points from 12 possible” in the competition.

Key players to know

• Federico Valverde: The Madrid captain scored the winner from long range in stoppage time.
• Aboubakary Koïta: He scored AEK’s opener, set up the second goal, then was sent off after the final whistle.
• Jude Bellingham: His back-heel equalizer extended a Champions League scoring record for his age.
• Kylian Mbappé: He scored the second equalizer and hit the crossbar late.
• Stavros Pilios: The AEK defender made a key block and then scored at the other end.

FAQ