Real Madrid Beat AEK Athens 3-2 in Champions League
Valverde's late equaliser and Bellingham's back-heel helped Real Madrid overturn a deficit against AEK Athens.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Soccer
Real Madrid defeated AEK Athens 3-2 in the Champions League, with Federico Valverde scoring a late equaliser. In the same round, Fenerbahçe also beat Liverpool 3-2 in Istanbul.
Why it matters
The results reshape the Champions League league phase table, where Liverpool sit fifth. Kylian Mbappé's contribution to the competition's scoring records highlights the individual milestones being reached across the tournament.
Mbappé became the second-fastest player to reach 100 Champions League goal contributions, doing so in 102 matches. Liverpool currently sit fifth in the league phase table, and the source does not detail how the defeat shifts their standing.
The players
Real Madrid
A Spanish football club and one of the most decorated teams in European competition history.
AEK Athens
A Greek football club based in Athens that competes in the UEFA Champions League.
Fenerbahçe
A Turkish football club based in Istanbul that is one of the country's most successful sides.
Liverpool
An English football club based in Liverpool that has won the UEFA Champions League six times.
Kylian Mbappé
A French forward widely regarded as one of the world's leading attacking players.
The details
Noni Madueke gave Arsenal an early lead against Slavia Prague, while Jude Bellingham's back-heel put Real Madrid ahead against AEK Athens at half-time before Stavros Pilios equalised. In Istanbul, Archie Brown, Vedat Muriqi and Greenwood's deflected free-kick helped Fenerbahçe, with Cody Gakpo scoring for Liverpool, and Liverpool led 2-1 in the second half before Fenerbahçe came back.
Timeline
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: Champions League matches played, including Real Madrid vs AEK Athens and Fenerbahçe vs Liverpool.
Season Trajectory
The results unfold within the league phase format introduced for the 2024-25 season, where a single table determines knockout qualification. Liverpool's fifth-place position in that table shows how narrow the margins remain for teams trying to secure a safe finish.
Fantasy managers relying on Mbappé, Valverde or Bellingham should note the goals and contributions from this round when setting lineups. The Liverpool and Fenerbahçe result also affects which sides remain in contention for the knockout places in the league table.
The takeaway
Single results can move a team several places in the league phase table, so readers tracking European qualification should watch the cumulative standings rather than any one match. The round showed that late goals and comebacks can decide outcomes across the competition.
Further reading
For more on European competition results, explore the Soccer section.
