FEDERICO VALVERDE LASHED home a stunning effort from distance to snatch Real Madrid a late 3-2 victory at AEK Athens on Wednesday in the Champions League and preserve their 100% start.
José Mourinho’s side twice came from behind against the Greek champions before Valverde claimed all three points for his side, level with holders Paris Saint-Germain on four wins from four league phase games.
Aboubakary Koita sent AEK ahead after 12 minutes and Jude Bellingham equalised with a sublime flick for the record 15-time winners.
Stavros Pilios sent the Greek champions ahead with 15 minutes to go, but Kylian Mbappé swiftly pulled Madrid level once again, setting the stage for Valverde’s late winner.
Madrid have now won seven straight games across all competitions.
Mourinho started with Vinícius Júnior on the left flank, after he missed the team’s previous two matches through suspension, in La Liga.
The hosts started with huge energy at the Agia Sophia stadium, and it was not overly surprising when they took an early lead.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved well from former Los Blancos striker Luka Jović before Koita sent AEK ahead.
The Mauritanian winger shifted cleverly inside Marc Cucurella and thumped home at the near post, catching out Courtois.
The Belgian goalkeeper saved again from Jović as AEK tried to make their strong start count.
However, they inevitably began to tire and Madrid began to take the reins in the Greek capital.
Kylian Mbappé fired over and Bellingham netted from close range but was shown to be offside. Moments later the England international scored again and nobody could deny him this one.
Cucurella fired in a low cross and Bellingham produced a brilliant flicked finish to beat goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli.
Former Chelsea defender Cucurella tested Brignoli and Bernardo Silva nodded off-target before the interval as Mourinho’s team controlled the game.
Brignoli pushed away Éder Militão’s long-range effort early in the second half and Lazaros Rota blocked superbly to deny the heavily-involved Cucurella.
Mbappé bent a shot narrowly wide of the top corner with Italian stopper Brignoli at full stretch.
The France forward was frustrated by the AEK defence when Vinicius turned sharply and found him with a high pass, but the striker’s shot was blocked.
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AEK reclaimed the lead in the 75th minute when the impressive Koita gently nudged the ball into Pilios’s path and the Albania international finished through Courtois’s legs from close range.
Madrid immediately responded with Bellingham playing Denzel Dumfries down the right. The Netherlands defender rolled a low ball across the six-yard box and this time Mbappé was able to finish.
It was Mbappé’s fourth goal in four Champions League games this season, netting once in each, and his 16th across all competitions.
Madrid substitute Endrick sent Mbappé through on goal with five minutes remaining but Brignoli produced a sensational save to tip his strike against the crossbar.
Valverde refused to give up on the three points and in the 92nd minute he lashed home across Brignoli to keep Madrid perfect.
Elsewhere in the Champions League on Wednesday, Real Betis’ winning run ended as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund.
Fabio Silva broke the deadlock in the 49th minute, before Betis substitute Aitor Ruibal equalised in the 67th minute.
But five minutes later, 18-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas proved the matchwinner with his first Champions League goal
Troy Parrott started and played 77 minutes for Betis. The Irish striker was involved in the goal – and another Betis saw ruled out for offside.
Meanwhile, Italian outfit Como equalled the record for the biggest winning margin in the modern Champions League with a stunning 9-1 victory away to Lens in France.
Greek international striker Anastasios Douvikas led the way with a hat-trick as the Serie A side, coached by Cesc Fabregas, claimed a third win in four games in this season’s league phase.
Only two teams had previously won a game by a margin of eight goals since the launch of the modern Uefa Champions League in 1992.
Liverpool thumped Besiktas 8-0 in the group stage in 2007 and Real Madrid won by the same scoreline against Malmo in 2015.
Como are just the second team to score nine times in a game in the competition, after Bayern Munich beat Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in the league phase in 2024.
According to statisticians Opta, the last club to score nine away from home was Feyenoord against Olympiacos in the old European Cup 1971.
UEFA Champions League results on Wednesday:
League phase, matchday four
In Athens
AEK (GRE) 2 (Koita 12, Pilios 75) Real Madrid (ESP) 3 (Bellingham 32, Mbappe 78, Valverde 90+2)
In Istanbul, Turkey
Fenerbahce (TUR) 3 (Greenwood 29, Brown 73, Muriqi 79) Liverpool (ENG) 2 (Nyoni 25, Isak 69)
In Porto, Portugal
Porto (POR) 4 (Bednarek 11, Veiga 71, Kiwior 80, Samu 90-pen) Napoli (ITA) 1 (McTominay 43)
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Valverde snatches victory for Real Madrid with late stunner in Athens, Como hit nine
LAST UPDATE | 1 hr ago
AEK Athens 2
Real Madrid 3
FEDERICO VALVERDE LASHED home a stunning effort from distance to snatch Real Madrid a late 3-2 victory at AEK Athens on Wednesday in the Champions League and preserve their 100% start.
José Mourinho’s side twice came from behind against the Greek champions before Valverde claimed all three points for his side, level with holders Paris Saint-Germain on four wins from four league phase games.
Aboubakary Koita sent AEK ahead after 12 minutes and Jude Bellingham equalised with a sublime flick for the record 15-time winners.
Stavros Pilios sent the Greek champions ahead with 15 minutes to go, but Kylian Mbappé swiftly pulled Madrid level once again, setting the stage for Valverde’s late winner.
Madrid have now won seven straight games across all competitions.
Mourinho started with Vinícius Júnior on the left flank, after he missed the team’s previous two matches through suspension, in La Liga.
The hosts started with huge energy at the Agia Sophia stadium, and it was not overly surprising when they took an early lead.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved well from former Los Blancos striker Luka Jović before Koita sent AEK ahead.
The Mauritanian winger shifted cleverly inside Marc Cucurella and thumped home at the near post, catching out Courtois.
The Belgian goalkeeper saved again from Jović as AEK tried to make their strong start count.
However, they inevitably began to tire and Madrid began to take the reins in the Greek capital.
Kylian Mbappé fired over and Bellingham netted from close range but was shown to be offside. Moments later the England international scored again and nobody could deny him this one.
Cucurella fired in a low cross and Bellingham produced a brilliant flicked finish to beat goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli.
Former Chelsea defender Cucurella tested Brignoli and Bernardo Silva nodded off-target before the interval as Mourinho’s team controlled the game.
Brignoli pushed away Éder Militão’s long-range effort early in the second half and Lazaros Rota blocked superbly to deny the heavily-involved Cucurella.
Mbappé bent a shot narrowly wide of the top corner with Italian stopper Brignoli at full stretch.
The France forward was frustrated by the AEK defence when Vinicius turned sharply and found him with a high pass, but the striker’s shot was blocked.
AEK reclaimed the lead in the 75th minute when the impressive Koita gently nudged the ball into Pilios’s path and the Albania international finished through Courtois’s legs from close range.
Madrid immediately responded with Bellingham playing Denzel Dumfries down the right. The Netherlands defender rolled a low ball across the six-yard box and this time Mbappé was able to finish.
It was Mbappé’s fourth goal in four Champions League games this season, netting once in each, and his 16th across all competitions.
Madrid substitute Endrick sent Mbappé through on goal with five minutes remaining but Brignoli produced a sensational save to tip his strike against the crossbar.
Valverde refused to give up on the three points and in the 92nd minute he lashed home across Brignoli to keep Madrid perfect.
Elsewhere in the Champions League on Wednesday, Real Betis’ winning run ended as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund.
Fabio Silva broke the deadlock in the 49th minute, before Betis substitute Aitor Ruibal equalised in the 67th minute.
But five minutes later, 18-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas proved the matchwinner with his first Champions League goal
Troy Parrott started and played 77 minutes for Betis. The Irish striker was involved in the goal – and another Betis saw ruled out for offside.
Meanwhile, Italian outfit Como equalled the record for the biggest winning margin in the modern Champions League with a stunning 9-1 victory away to Lens in France.
Greek international striker Anastasios Douvikas led the way with a hat-trick as the Serie A side, coached by Cesc Fabregas, claimed a third win in four games in this season’s league phase.
Only two teams had previously won a game by a margin of eight goals since the launch of the modern Uefa Champions League in 1992.
Liverpool thumped Besiktas 8-0 in the group stage in 2007 and Real Madrid won by the same scoreline against Malmo in 2015.
Como are just the second team to score nine times in a game in the competition, after Bayern Munich beat Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in the league phase in 2024.
According to statisticians Opta, the last club to score nine away from home was Feyenoord against Olympiacos in the old European Cup 1971.
UEFA Champions League results on Wednesday:
League phase, matchday four
In Athens
AEK (GRE) 2 (Koita 12, Pilios 75) Real Madrid (ESP) 3 (Bellingham 32, Mbappe 78, Valverde 90+2)
In Istanbul, Turkey
Fenerbahce (TUR) 3 (Greenwood 29, Brown 73, Muriqi 79) Liverpool (ENG) 2 (Nyoni 25, Isak 69)
In Porto, Portugal
Porto (POR) 4 (Bednarek 11, Veiga 71, Kiwior 80, Samu 90-pen) Napoli (ITA) 1 (McTominay 43)
In Stavanger, Norway
Viking (NOR) 4 (Botheim 27, 90+4, Tripic 69, Falchener 81) Sabah (AZE) 1 (Mbina 11)
In Dortmund, Germany
Borussia Dortmund (GER) 2 (Silva 49, Karetsas 72) Real Betis (ESP) 1 (Ruibal 67)
In Eindhoven, Netherlands
PSV Eindhoven (NED) 1 (Sano 54) Club Brugge (BEL) 2 (Tresoldi 25, Forbs 66)
In Leipzig, Germany
Leipzig (GER) 2 (Baku 49, Nusa 61) Manchester City (ENG) 3 (Lukeba 37-og, Fernandez 58, Haaland 78)
In Lens, France
Lens (FRA) 1 (Aguilar 65) Como (ITA) 9 (Douvikas 7, 32, 57, Paz 40, Da Cunha 47, Kempf 53, Liberali 62, Baturina 69, Papaccioli 90+2)
In Prague
Slavia Prague (CZE) 1 (Nowak 90) Arsenal (ENG) 2 (Madueke 9, Gyokeres 38)
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