AEK Athens 2-3 Real Madrid: result and report

The Pundit picked Real Madrid (57%): correct

Report

Real Madrid got the win they were expected to take, but it needed a stoppage-time goal. That made it a far harder evening than the final shot count suggests, even though the visitors did more than enough to deserve it.

AEK Athens led twice. Aboubakary Koita scored on 12 minutes from Luka Jović's pass. Jude Bellingham equalised on 32 minutes after Marc Cucurella set him up. Stavros Pilios then restored the home lead on 75 minutes, with Koita providing the assist this time.

Real Madrid's answer came quickly, though. Kylian Mbappé levelled three minutes later, set up by Denzel Dumfries. Federico Valverde won it two minutes into stoppage time, with Brahim Díaz supplying the pass.

The late goals were not a smash and grab, because Real Madrid had been building towards them all game. They had 70% of the ball, took 24 shots to AEK Athens' nine and made 21 key passes to eight. Their xG of 3.61 was more than three times AEK Athens' 1.16. They also hit the woodwork, while the home goalkeeper made five saves. Real Madrid's average pressure was well above AEK Athens' across the match, so the territory was clearly theirs.

There is one counter-signal worth noting. AEK Athens created three big chances to Real Madrid's two, despite seeing so little of the ball. Real Madrid's xG came from volume rather than a stream of clear-cut openings. AEK Athens, meanwhile, made their few good moments count. Koita was at the centre of that, with a goal and an assist, and they still missed two big chances.