Athens (Greece) (AFP) - Spanish Real Madrid almost stumbled for the first time before the Uruguayan substitute snatched a fatal victory over its host, AEK Athens, Greece, 3-2, in the fourth round of the unified group of the Champions League, while English Liverpool fell in Istanbul, losing to Fenerbahce, Turkey, 2-3.

Published on: 04/11/2026 - 20:55

Real won in Athens on the back of six consecutive victories in various competitions, but this series almost stopped on Wednesday in Athens had it not been for substitute Valverde, who raised the tally of Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho's team to a full 12, the same distance from Paris Saint-Germain, the French champions for the past two seasons, who also achieved the full mark so far.

Before Wednesday's match, the two teams met four times in European competitions, each achieving one win and two draws.

The beginning was difficult for the Spanish guest, who found himself trailing since the 12th minute with a goal by Mauritanian Abu Bakari Koita, who received the ball on the right side of the penalty area from former Real player Luka Jovic, so he manipulated Mark Cucurría before firing it powerfully to the left of Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Jovic was close to scoring against the team that defended its colors from 2019 to 2022, but Courtois was on time this time to save the owner of a record 15 titles in the continental competition (17).

Real's response came in the 32nd minute with a wonderful goal by Englishman Jude Bellingham, who reached the ball almost at the penalty point with a cross from Cucurría, and he turned it with the heel of the foot past Italian goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli, making him, at 23 years and 128 days, the youngest player to score in seven consecutive seasons in the continental competition, surpassing his French colleague Kylian Mbappe (23 years and 260 days in the 2022-2023 season).

Despite some attempts in the second half, most notably by Real through Mbappe with a beautiful shot that passed near the left post (62), the tie remained the dominant situation until the 75th minute when AIK shocked the royal giant by scoring the lead goal through Stavros Pelius after exchanging the ball with Quetta.

However, Mbappe responded quickly and equalized with his 16th goal of the season in 15 matches in all competitions, after a cross from the Dutchman Denzel Dumfries (78), before substitute Valverde fired a missile ball from outside the area to the left corner, giving Real their fourth successive victory in the fatal time (2 + 90).

In Istanbul, Fenerbahce achieved the surprise and its first victory by defeating Liverpool 3-2, in a match during which the latter advanced twice without being able in the end to maintain its perfect record.

The Turkish team owes its victory to Kosovar substitute Widad Muriqi, who scored the lead goal and the three points in the 79th minute with a header, after Liverpool took the lead twice through Trae Nyony (25) and Swedish substitute Alexander Isak (69), before the team of its former Dutch player Dirk Kuyt responded through Englishmen Mason Greenwood (29) and Archie Brown (73).

© 2026 AFP

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