On Wednesday evening, Real Madrid will line up against Greek side AEK Athens at 18:45 local time, marking the fourth matchday of the Champions League group stage.
Match preview
Coach Jose Mourinho has named Vinicius Junior in the starting eleven as Madrid aim to secure a perfect record of four wins. The Portuguese manager has also reshuffled the defensive line, making changes to almost the entire back four.
Madrid entered the weekend unbeaten, having defeated Inter Milan, Roma and RB Leipzig in their first three fixtures. A win in Athens would place the Spanish giants firmly among the eight teams likely to qualify for the knockout phase.
AEK Athens background
AEK Athens, featuring former Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic, have struggled in the group. They earned a solitary victory, a home win over Linz, before suffering defeats to Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester City.
The Greek club will look to improve on their early results and disrupt Madrid’s winning streak.
Both sides will be aware that a strong performance could influence the final group rankings, with points already shaping the race for the top spots.
Why it matters: A fourth consecutive win would reinforce Real Madrid’s position as a front‑runner for the Champions League quarter‑finals, while AEK Athens hopes to recover from a poor start and keep their European campaign alive.