AEK Athens vs Real Madrid - prediction, team news, lineups

Real Madrid volition beryllium aiming to proceed their 100% commencement to this season's Champions League league signifier erstwhile they instrumentality connected AEK Athens successful Athens connected Wednesday evening.

Los Blancos are presently 4th successful the wide Champions League table, picking up 9 points from 3 matches, portion AEK Athens are 29th successful the part connected 3 points.

Match preview

AEK Athens opened their Champions League league signifier run with a 1-0 triumph implicit LASK Linz, but they person since been connected the extremity of 2 disappointing defeats, going down 3-1 to Shakhtar Donetsk connected October 14 and past 5-1 to Manchester City connected October 20.

Marko Nikolic's broadside person been beaten successful 4 of their past 5 matches successful each competitions, including their past 2 home fixtures against PAOK and Panathinaikos.

The Yellow-Blacks, who are presently 29th successful the Champions League array connected 3 points, person faced Real Madrid connected 4 erstwhile occasions and person lone mislaid once.

The archetypal 2 meetings betwixt these 2 teams occurred successful the UEFA Cup backmost successful 1985, with AEK Athens signaling a 1-0 triumph successful the archetypal limb of their first-round fixture, earlier Real Madrid posted a 5-0 triumph successful the 2nd limb to comfortably advance.

The duo besides locked horns doubly successful the radical signifier of the 2002-03 Champions League, and some of those fixtures finished level, including a 3-3 gully successful Athens, with the Yellow-Blacks really unbeaten astatine location to European heavyweights Real Madrid.

Real Madrid person lone been victorious successful 1 of their past 8 distant UEFA matches against Greek opposition, drafting 5 times successful the process.

Jose Mourinho's broadside volition participate this lucifer successful fantabulous form, though, having won each of their past six matches successful each competitions, with the superior giants responding impressively to their 2-1 nonaccomplishment to Atletico Madrid successful the Madrid derby earlier the past planetary break.

Los Blancos volition participate this lucifer disconnected the backmost of a 3-0 occurrence implicit Racing de Santander successful La Liga, portion they bushed RB Leipzig 4-1 successful their past Champions League fixture.

Real Madrid person a 100% grounds successful this season's Champions League league stage, picking up 9 points from 3 matches, which has near them successful 4th spot successful the division.

Mourinho's squad volition instrumentality connected PSV Eindhoven, Arsenal, LASK Linz and Shakhtar Donetsk successful their last 4 matches successful this season's league stage.

AEK Athens Champions League form:

AEK Athens signifier (all competitions):

Real Madrid Champions League form:

Real Madrid signifier (all competitions):

Team News

AEK Athens volition beryllium without the services of Thomas Strakosha (hand), while Joao Mario (illness) and Lazaros Rota (illness) some request to beryllium assessed up of the contest.

Former Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic is acceptable to run done the mediate for the hosts; the 28-year-old has been successful beardown signifier this season, scoring 7 times successful 15 appearances.

There is besides expected to beryllium a spot done the mediate for Barnabas Varga, who is the Greek outfit's starring goalscorer this play with 9 successful 13 appearances successful each competitions.

As for Real Madrid, Vinicius Junior is available, and it is expected that the Brazilian, who is presently serving a home ban, volition beryllium introduced into the XI down the left.

Federico Valverde is backmost successful training, having recovered from a hamstring issue, and determination is simply a beardown accidental that the Uruguay planetary could beryllium successful the squad for this fixture.

However, Rodrygo (knee) and Raul Asencio (leg) are decidedly retired of the clash.

Yan Diomande could commencement down the right, with Arda Guler dropping backmost into cardinal midfield, portion Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe volition diagnostic successful the last 3rd of the field.

AEK Athens imaginable starting lineup:

Brignoli; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilo; Majer, Arriaga, Marin, Mario; Jovic, Varga

Real Madrid imaginable starting lineup:

Courtois; Dumfries, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouameni, Guler; Diomande, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe

We say: AEK Athens 1-3 Real Madrid

Real Madrid are flying astatine the moment, and we are afloat expecting Los Blancos to unafraid each 3 points against an AEK Athens squad presently struggling for form.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.