Valverde's Stoppage-Time Strike Gives Real Madrid 3-2 Comeback Win at AEK Athens

AEK Athens led not once but twice. Jude Bellingham equalised once for Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe equalised again, before Fede Valverde's powerful shot from outside the box in the second minute of added time won the league-phase match 3-2 for Real Madrid. For the Greek club, back in the Champions League after seven seasons, even a draw could have been a consoling achievement; Valverde's goal took that possibility away.

AEK challenged Real from the start. In the fifth minute, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved a shot from Mijat Gacinovic. Seven minutes later there was no escape: from Luka Jovic's pass, Aboubakary Koita cut past Real defender Marc Cucurella and put AEK ahead with a strong left-footed shot from outside the box. Courtois also had to save a shot from Jovic in the first half.

Real equalised in the 32nd minute. Bellingham flicked Cucurella's cross from the left into the net inside the box; it was the English midfielder's first Champions League goal this season. Bellingham put the ball in the net once more before the break, but that goal was ruled out for offside.

Real had more of the ball and the attacks in the second half, but AEK scored first. In the 75th minute, Stavros Pilios took Koita's pass into the box and beat Courtois with a low shot. The joy lasted only three minutes: in the 78th minute, Denzel Dumfries, advancing on the right from Bellingham's pass, crossed for Mbappe to push the ball in from close range.

Mbappe has now scored in six straight Champions League matches for Real, his longest scoring run in the competition. He has reached 100 goal contributions in the Champions League in just 102 matches, with 74 goals and 26 assists. Only Lionel Messi reached the milestone in fewer matches (101); Robert Lewandowski also reached it in 102 matches.

Both sides pressed desperately for a winner late on. Mbappe's shot hit the crossbar in the 86th minute. But in the second minute of added time, substitute Valverde sent a right-footed shot from outside the box into the net to seal Real's dramatic win.

The win kept Real's perfect Champions League record intact. With four wins from four matches and 12 points, they sit with the leading teams in the table, and Jose Mourinho's side have now won seven straight matches in all competitions.