Federico Valverde had been on the pitch for just 23 minutes when he drove home the winner in the 90th minute to give Real Madrid a 3-2 victory over AEK Athens at Allwyn Arena on Wednesday. Jose Mourinho’s side trailed at halftime after Koita’s early opener, but goals from Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and the late Valverde strike secured a fourth straight win in the UEFA Champions League league stage. AEK, already deep in trouble at the foot of the table, finished with ten men after Koita was sent off in stoppage time.
Key Moments
- 12′, AEK Athens take the lead. Koita finishes from a Jovic pass to put the hosts ahead at Allwyn Arena.
- 32′, Real Madrid level. Bellingham converts after a ball from Marc Cucurella to make it 1-1.
- 75′, AEK go back in front. Pilios, the right back, tucks home a Koita assist to restore the home side’s advantage.
- 78′, Mbappe responds immediately. Kylian Mbappe finishes from a Dumfries cross to make it 2-2 within three minutes.
- 90′, Valverde wins it. The Uruguayan midfielder meets a Brahim Diaz pass and fires home at the death to give Real Madrid all three points, according to beinsports.com.
- 90′, Koita sees red. The AEK midfielder is dismissed for abusive language in stoppage time, compounding a miserable end for the hosts.
Tactical Breakdown
Real Madrid dominated possession throughout, finishing with 70% of the ball and attempting 24 shots to AEK’s nine. Their xG of 3.4 against AEK’s 0.95 tells the story of a team that generated chances at will, even if the Greek side’s goalkeeper Brignoli kept the score respectable with five saves. The opening 4-2-3-1 set Bellingham between the lines to operate against AEK’s compact 4-4-2, with Cucurella pushing forward on the left to supply the equalizer just before the half-hour mark.
The match turned in the final quarter. Jose Mourinho introduced Valverde and Endrick for Diomande and Bernardo Silva at the 67th minute, freshening up the midfield just as AEK found their second goal through Pilios at 75. Mbappe responded inside three minutes to restore parity, and Valverde, who had arrived as a substitute, produced the decisive moment in the 90th to settle the tie. Brahim Diaz, introduced nine minutes from time, picked up the assist for that winner.
For AEK, the numbers were unkind from the start. They had zero corner kicks and 30% possession, retreating deep and relying on transitions. Koita’s industry on the ball (a goal and an assist) papered over systemic issues, and his late red card for abusive language left the night on a sour note. The hosts sit 30th in the league stage table with three points from four games, and their path to the knockout rounds looks very difficult.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
Real Madrid’s fourth win from four games keeps them level on 12 points with Paris Saint Germain at the top of the UEFA Champions League league stage table, with both sides in the automatic qualification spots for the round of 16. AEK Athens remain 30th on three points, and their situation in the league phase is now very difficult. Mourinho’s side have shown they can grind out results even when the game is not going their way, and Valverde’s cameo underlined the squad depth available to the Spanish giants.