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According to a report by BBC Sport on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Real Madrid secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over AEK Athens in the UEFA Champions League after Federico Valverde scored a stunning stoppage-time winner to complete a remarkable comeback.
The Spanish giants had to recover from falling behind twice before claiming all three points, ending AEK's seven-match unbeaten home run across all competitions.
The hosts made a positive start and created the first major opportunity through Mijat Gacinovic, whose effort was stopped by Thibaut Courtois.
AEK eventually took the lead when Aboubakary Koita cut inside from the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a powerful left-footed strike beyond Courtois.
Luka Jovic, who previously played for Real Madrid, almost doubled the Greek side's advantage, but Courtois produced another important save to keep his team in the contest.
Madrid gradually improved and found an equaliser through Jude Bellingham. The midfielder initially benefited from a rebound after Vinicius Junior's attempt before turning home Marc Cucurella's delivery to make it 1-1.
Bellingham's goal marked his 60th appearance in the Champions League, providing an important moment for the England international.
The visitors continued their attacking pressure after the interval, with Kylian Mbappe and Cucurella combining to create opportunities. However, Lazaros Rota produced an excellent defensive block to prevent Cucurella from scoring from close range.
Mbappe also threatened with efforts from outside the penalty area, but AEK goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli managed to keep the French forward at bay.
Despite facing sustained pressure, AEK regained the advantage in the 75th minute. Stavros Pilios advanced from his defensive position before finishing Koita's cutback to put the hosts 2-1 ahead.
Their celebrations were short-lived, however, as Madrid responded less than three minutes later. Mbappe arrived at the far post to convert Denzel Dumfries' delivery, restoring parity with his goal in a sixth consecutive Champions League appearance.
Madrid pushed forward in search of a winner, and Mbappe came close when his effort was tipped onto the crossbar by Brignoli.
The decisive moment arrived in the 92nd minute when Valverde unleashed a powerful strike from approximately 25 yards, finding the corner of the net to complete Madrid's comeback.
The victory extended Real Madrid's winning run to seven matches and maintained their perfect record after four Champions League league-phase fixtures.