AEK Athens vs Real Madrid: Date, Time, and Everything You Need to Know About This Champions League Clash

Real Madrid head to Athens with a perfect record in the Champions League, but they face an opponent they have never beaten away from home.

When and Where Is AEK vs Real Madrid?

AEK Athens host Real Madrid on Wednesday, November 4, at 12:45 PM ET at the Allwyn Arena in Athens, Greece, on Matchday 4 of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase. Italian referee Maurizio Mariani will officiate the match.

The two teams enter the game in very different situations. Madrid are looking to maintain their perfect record and strengthen their position in the top eight, while AEK desperately need points to keep their hopes of reaching the next round alive.

UEFA Champions League

AEK vs Real Madrid: Everything You Need to Know

How AEK Are Coming Into the Match

Marko Nikolić's side have endured a difficult start to their European campaign. After opening with a 1-0 victory over LASK, AEK suffered a 3-1 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk before being thrashed 5-1 by Manchester City. With just three points from three matches, the Greek champions need a positive result to avoid falling further behind in the standings.

Things have not gone much better domestically, with recent defeats against PAOK and Panathinaikos. However, AEK can take confidence from their history against the Spanish giants: they have never lost a home match against Real Madrid, a record they will hope to preserve when the two sides meet in Athens.

How Real Madrid Are Coming Into the Match

José Mourinho's Real Madrid arrive in excellent form, having won all three of their Champions League matches this season. Los Blancos defeated Inter 2-1, edged Roma 4-3 away from home, and cruised to a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig, putting themselves among the leading contenders for direct qualification to the round of 16.

Madrid have also been in strong form in LaLiga. They are coming off a 3-0 win over Racing Santander, having previously beaten Barcelona 2-1 in El Clásico. Their attack has consistently delivered, although Mourinho will have to manage the absence of several key players.

Players to Watch

Luka Jović

The Serbian striker faces a special reunion with his former club. Luka Jović played for Real Madrid between 2019 and 2022 and is now one of AEK's main attacking threats. After scoring 16 goals in 24 league appearances last season, he will look to use his experience and familiarity with the Spanish giants to help the Greek side pull off an upset.

Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé remains Real Madrid's biggest attacking threat. The French superstar has scored in his last five Champions League appearances and already knows how to punish Greek opposition. Last season, he scored all four of Madrid's goals in a thrilling 4-3 victory over Olympiacos.

Head-to-Head Record

The history between these two clubs is surprisingly balanced: one victory each and two draws in four European meetings. Their most recent encounters came during the 2002/03 Champions League campaign, when they played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in Athens before another entertaining 2-2 draw in Madrid.

Real Madrid enter as favorites thanks to their impressive recent form, but trips to Greece have rarely been straightforward for the Spanish giants. Los Blancos have won just one of their eight away matches against Greek clubs in UEFA competitions, while AEK will be hoping to make home advantage count and bring Mourinho's winning streak to an end.