Real Madrid will look to record their seventh win on the trot in all competitions when they visit AEK Athens tonight.
Jose Mourinho’s side are flying at the minute and Clásico victory in Barcelona on October 25 means they are just three points behind their Catalan rivals in the La Liga race.
They are also doing well in the Champions League with three wins from three.
AEK Athens are in a much more difficult spot. Marko Nikolić’s side opened their league campaign with a 1–0 win over LASK, but were then beaten by Shakhtar Donetsk and beaten 5–1 by Manchester City. They sit 29th in the table with three points, and come into this game on the back of a deflating 2-0 defeat to Panathinaikos in the Athens derby.
AEK ATHENS TEAM NEWS
Goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha is on the bench with a wrist injury, so Alberto Brignoli starts in goal.
Former Madrid striker Luka Jovic leads AEK’s attack.
AEK Athens: Brignoli; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilios; Koita, Kairinen, Arriaga, Majer; Jovic, Gacinovic
AEK Athens Subs: Strakosha, Balamotis, Zubkov, Marin, Varga, Mantalos, Vida, Lykogiannis, Vitalis, Zini
NEWS FROM REAL MADRID
Mourinho makes five changes to the team that won at Santander with Eder Militao returning to the starting XI for the first time since suffering a serious hamstring injury in April.
Vinicius Jr, whose domestic suspension does not apply to Europe, Denzel Dumfries, Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga are recalled.
Rodrygo and Raúl Asencio remain out, and Ferland Mendy is not in Madrid’s squad for the Champions League.
Real Madrid: Courtois; Dumfries, Militao, Rudiger, Cucurella; Camavinga, Silva, Bellingham; Diomande, Vinicius Jr, Mbappé
Real Madrid Substitutes: Lunin, Mestre, Huijsen, Valverde, Endrick, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Carreres, Espi, Brahim, Thiago, S Martinez
Where to watch AEK Athens vs Madrid: TV channel, live streaming online
AEK Athens vs Real Madrid kicks off at 17:45 GMT (13:45 ET / 10:45 PT) on Wednesday, November 4 at the ALLWYN Arena in Athens.
The Champions League The match is live on TNT Sports 3 and TNT Sports 9 in the UK, with streaming on HBO Max. In the US, it’s on Paramount Plus.
If you live outside the UK or US, please visit List of UEFA Champions League broadcasters to find out where to watch it in your region.
Statistics AEK Athens vs Real Madrid, Champions League form
- These teams have met four times, winning one game each with two draws. Madrid won the 1985/86 UEFA Cup first round tie 5-1 on aggregate (0-1 a, 5-0 h) before drawing 3-3 at Athens and 2-2 at Madrid in the first group stage of the 2002/03 Champions League.
- forward of Athens Luka Jovic he was at Real Madrid between 2019 and 2022, making nine of his 51 appearances for the club in the Champions League.
- AEK are unbeaten in their two home games against Madrid (1 win, 1 draw) and in their two home games against Spanish visitors in the Champions League proper, both draws: 3-3 against Madrid in October 2002 and 1-1 against Deportivo La Coruña in September 2003.
- A 3-1 home win against Rayo Vallecano in the second leg of last season’s UEFA Conference League quarter-finals, which confirmed a 4-3 aggregate defeat, ended AEK’s 16-game winless streak against Spanish sides (D5 L11).
- Oleksandr Zubkov scored in both Champions League appearances against Real Madrid as a Shakhtar player
- Madrid’s last game against a Greek club ended in a 4-3 win at Olympiacos on Matchday 5 last season, Kylian Mbappe scoring the visitors’ goals as Madrid secured their first away win against Greek rivals at the eighth attempt (D5 L2).
- Los Blancos have won seven of their 15 games against Greek clubs (6 draws, 2 draws) – scoring 37 goals – but only three of their last 16 matches (4 draws, 1 draw).
- Jude Bellingham needs one appearance to reach 60 in the Champions League. At 23 years and 128 days, the English international would be the youngest player to achieve the feat, ahead of Iker Casillas (23 and 167 d)
- None of Madrid’s last 33 Champions League games have ended in a draw (22 W11), while there have been goals in their last 34 group stage and non-league games, which is a club record.
- Jude Bellingham has played 59 games in the Champions League. At 23 years and 128 days, he would be the youngest player to reach 60; Iker Casillas (23 and 167 d) is the current record.
- Denzel Dumfries could make his 50th Champions League appearance, while Mbappe could score in a sixth successive appearance in the competition.
