Valverde Scores Late Stunner as Real Madrid Beat AEK Athens 3-2

Federico Valverde scored a stunning stoppage-time winner as Real Madrid defeated AEK Athens 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday. The victory maintained Madrid’s 100% record after four league-phase matches.

José Mourinho’s side came from behind twice against the Greek champions. However, Valverde’s powerful strike in the 92nd minute secured all three points and kept Madrid level with Paris Saint-Germain on 12 points.

Aboubakary Koïta gave AEK an early lead in the 12th minute. Jude Bellingham then equalised with a brilliant flick before half-time.

AEK regained the advantage through Stavros Pilios in the 75th minute. Nevertheless, Kylian Mbappé restored parity three minutes later, setting up Valverde’s decisive finish.

Madrid have now won seven consecutive matches across all competitions.

“We fought for (the victory), and with the score at 2–2 we didn’t settle,” Mourinho told Movistar. “It would always be an acceptable result, we’d be on 10 points, but we wanted more.”

AEK Take Early Lead Before Bellingham Responds

Mourinho started Vinícius Júnior on the left flank after the forward missed Madrid’s previous two La Liga matches through suspension.

AEK began with considerable energy at the Agia Sophia Stadium. Their attacking approach quickly paid off when Koïta opened the scoring after 12 minutes.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had already denied former Madrid striker Luka Jovi?. However, the Mauritanian winger then shifted inside Marc Cucurella and fired past the Belgian goalkeeper at the near post.

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Courtois produced another save against Jovi? as AEK looked to extend their advantage.

Madrid gradually took control as the hosts began to tire. Mbappé fired over, while Bellingham initially had a close-range effort ruled out for offside.

The England midfielder soon found the net again. This time, he finished brilliantly with a flick after Cucurella delivered a low cross.

Madrid continued to threaten before the break. Cucurella tested goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli, while Bernardo Silva headed narrowly wide.

Mbappé and Valverde Complete Another Comeback

Madrid maintained their attacking pressure after the interval. Brignoli pushed away Éder Militão’s long-range effort, while Lazaros Rota blocked another attempt from Cucurella.

Mbappé also came close with a curling effort that narrowly missed the top corner. However, AEK remained dangerous on the counterattack.

The hosts regained the lead in the 75th minute. Koïta provided the assist as Pilios finished from close range, sending the ball through Courtois’s legs.

Madrid responded almost immediately. Bellingham released Denzel Dumfries down the right, and the Dutch defender delivered a low cross across the six-yard box. Mbappé finished to make it 2-2 in the 78th minute.

It was the French forward’s fourth goal in four Champions League matches this season. He also took his overall tally to 16 goals across all competitions.

Madrid continued searching for a winner. Substitute Endrick sent Mbappé through on goal late in the match, but Brignoli produced an outstanding save to push his shot onto the crossbar.

Nevertheless, Madrid refused to settle for a draw. In the 92nd minute, Valverde struck powerfully from outside the penalty area to beat Brignoli and complete the comeback.

AEK’s Koïta was sent off after the final whistle for dissent.

Mourinho Praises Valverde’s Impact

Valverde entered the match as a second-half substitute and made an immediate impact.

Mourinho said he had not specifically instructed the midfielder to shoot. Instead, he had asked him to exploit the open spaces and arrive in dangerous attacking areas.

“I told him was that the game was wide open, it was being played at great speed… a fresh player like Fede, with his ability to cover a lot of ground, I told him to attack the space and arrive in the dangerous areas,” Mourinho said.

Valverde also credited his teammates for giving him the confidence to attempt the decisive strike.

“Sometimes I overthink it,” he said. He added that his teammates’ support gave him the confidence and courage to take the shot.

The victory preserved Madrid’s perfect Champions League record and delivered another dramatic comeback under Mourinho.