Real Madrid will look to make it four wins in a row in their UCL campaign when they meet AEK Athens away from home in their next match on Wednesday at the Allwyn Arena.
AEK Athens vs Real Madrid – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 4th November.
- Kick-off: 5:45pm BST.
- Venue: Allwyn Arena, Athina.
AEK Athens team news
AEK Athens face severe selection anxieties ahead of this monumental European encounter, particularly in the goalkeeper position.
First-choice shot-stopper Thomas Strakosha has been officially ruled out due to a wrist injury, leaving Alberto Brignoli heavily expected to deputise between the posts against Madrid’s lethal attack.
The Greek side is also sweating over the fitness of key players Lazaros Rota and João Mario, who are both facing late fitness tests after struggling with recent bouts of illness.
On a positive note, the frontline looks sharp as former Real Madrid striker Luka Jović is fully fit and slated to lead the offensive line. He will partner up with the club’s prolific top scorer, Barnabás Varga.
AEK Athens will rely heavily on this striking partnership to exploit any defensive gaps and cause an upset on Europe’s biggest stage.
Real Madrid team news
Real Madrid will be without Arda Güler and Aurélien Tchouaméni for their upcoming UEFA Champions League clash, as manager Jose Mourinho has rested the midfield duo.
The Spanish giants also face key absences, with forward Rodrygo sidelined with a knee injury and defender Raúl Asencio out with a leg issue.
However, the squad receives a massive boost with the return of Federico Valverde, who has successfully overcome a hamstring problem sustained during the Clásico.
Furthermore, star forward Vinícius Júnior is completely cleared to play, as his current domestic suspension does not apply to European competitions.
The rest of the powerhouse travelling squad features heavy hitters like Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, and Thibaut Courtois, ensuring Madrid fields a formidable, star-studded lineup capable of dominating the match despite the tactical rotations.
Form
AEK Athens
AEK Athens are enduring a highly turbulent spell, suffering defeats in four of their last five matches across all competitions. While they opened their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory over LASK Linz, back-to-back defeats against Shakhtar Donetsk (3-1) and Manchester City (5-1) have dropped them to 27th place. Domestically, Marko Nikolic’s squad is looking to rebound after recent consecutive league losses to PAOK (3-1) and Panathinaikos (2-0).
Real Madrid
Real Madrid enter this fixture in spectacular form, riding a six-match winning streak across all competitions. Jose Mourinho’s side boasts a perfect start in the UEFA Champions League league phase, securing nine points from three matches following convincing wins over Inter Milan (2-1), Roma (4-3), and RB Leipzig (4-1). Domestically, Los Blancos are fresh off a 3-0 victory against Racing Santander and a crucial 2-1 El Clásico win over rivals Barcelona.
Predicted lineups
AEK Athens: Brignoli; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilo; Majer, Arriaga, Marin, Mario; Jovic, Varga
Real Madrid: Courtois; Dumfries, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouameni, Guler; Diomande, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
How to watch AEK Athens vs Real Madrid?
The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 3 and TNT Sports 9.
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