Real Madrid Defeats AEK Athens 3-2 in Champions League

Real Madrid maintained its perfect record in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday by defeating AEK Athens 3-2 at the Allwyn Arena in Greece. The dramatic fixture saw the Spanish giants come from behind twice before securing the three points in the closing moments of the match.

AEK Athens opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Aboubakary Koita capitalized on a quick transition, executing a clever move past Marc Cucurella before placing a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The home side's early intensity troubled the visiting defense throughout the opening stages of the game.

Real Madrid equalized in the 32nd minute through Jude Bellingham, who redirected a shot with an improvised backheel following a corner kick. The goal marked a milestone for Bellingham, who became the youngest player to reach 60 appearances in Champions League history.

The Greek side regained the lead in the 75th minute when Stavros Pilios scored from close range following a counterattack, putting the home team up 2-1. However, the advantage was short-lived as Kylian Mbappé responded just three minutes later, finishing cleanly at the back post after buildup play from Bellingham and Denzel Dumfries.

As the match neared its conclusion, Federico Valverde delivered the decisive blow in the second minute of stoppage time. The Uruguayan midfielder unleashed a powerful strike from outside the penalty area that beat the goalkeeper and sealed the 3-2 victory for the visiting side.

Following the final whistle, goalscorer Aboubakary Koita was shown a red card after continuing to protest to the referee. The result leaves Real Madrid with 12 points from four matches in the league phase, sharing the top of the standings with Paris Saint-Germain.

Manager José Mourinho praised his squad's ambition after the match, noting that the team refused to settle for a draw and pushed forward to secure the win. The victory keeps Real Madrid safely positioned within the top eight of the tournament table.