Real Madrid claimed a hard-fought 3-2 victory over AEK Athens on Wednesday evening in the fourth matchday of the UEFA Champions League phase, according to match reports. The Spanish side was forced to come from behind twice before securing the three points in stoppage time, mirroring a similar late escape earlier in the continental campaign against Roma.

Early Pressure and Tactical Shifts in Athens

The hosts set an aggressive tone early on. At the 12th minute, Aboubakary Koïta broke the deadlock for AEK Athens by driving a powerful strike past Thibaut Courtois from inside the penalty area. Real Madrid attempted an immediate response when Vinícius Júnior found the back of the net in the 28th minute, but the officials disallowed the effort for an offside violation by Jude Bellingham during the build-up.

That setback proved temporary. Just four minutes later, Bellingham rewarded the visiting supporters by equalizing with a delicate backheel finish following a cross from Marc Cucurella. Real Madrid struggled to contain the direct counter-attacks launched by the hosts, leaving the score level at 1-1 heading into the halftime interval.

Federico Valverde Scores Late Winner to Defeat AEK Athens

The game opened up significantly after the restart as both teams chased a decisive advantage. AEK Athens punished a defensive lapse in the 75th minute when Stavros Pelkas converted a pass from Koïta to put the Greek team ahead for the second time in the fixture. The lead lasted only three minutes before Kylian Mbappé restored parity for the visitors by turning home a low cross from Denzel Dumfries.

With a draw appearing increasingly likely, midfielder Federico Valverde intervened in the closing moments of stoppage time. The Uruguay international unleashed a powerful long-range missile that beat goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli, sealing the 3-2 scoreline and maintaining Real Madrid’s perfect record in the European competition.

Real Madrid Matches Paris Saint Germain at Top of Standings

The dramatic victory moves Real Madrid level with Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the Champions League phase standings, making them one of only two sides to secure a 100 percent record through four matches. Meanwhile, AEK Athens remains mired in 30th place with three points.

The result extends Real Madrid’s winning run across all competitions to seven matches following their recent domestic derby defeat, while AEK Athens turns its focus back to domestic league commitments following their first home defeat to Spanish opposition in tournament history.