Real Madrid arrive in Athens with a perfect three-from-three Champions League record

Real Madrid come to the Allwyn Arena on Wednesday 4 November with three wins from three in the Champions League league phase, having beaten Inter Milan and Roma before a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig, according to reports. They also won 3-0 at Racing de Santander on Sunday 1 November, stretching their winning run in all competitions to six matches. That form is the main reason the forecast leans against an AEK win, which means a draw or a Madrid victory both count. AEK have their own recent setback. They lost 2-0 to their Athenian rivals in the Greek Super League on Monday 2 November, reportedly their first league defeat since 26 October 2025 after an unbeaten run of 31 games. Manager Marko Nikolic took responsibility for the result, according to the report. Madrid's team news is mixed. Rodrygo is reported out with a serious knee injury and Ferland Mendy is not in their league-phase squad. Vinicius Junior is expected to return, since his domestic suspension does not apply to European games. Federico Valverde has returned to training after a hamstring problem and is expected to make the squad, though one report lists him as a doubt. The thing to watch is the Madrid line-up. If Vinicius Junior and Valverde are both fit and start for Madrid, the case against an AEK win gets stronger. If either is missing, the picture is less settled.