Confirmed Lineups: Vinicius, Mbappe and Bellingham Start for Real Madrid at AEK Athens as Militao Returns

Real Madrid confirmed a strong starting lineup for the Champions League trip to AEK Athens on Wednesday night, with Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande all named in the team for the Matchday 4 meeting at the Allwyn Arena. The starting lineup was confirmed in the hour before kickoff, at 17:45 GMT, which is 22:45 in Pakistan, and the selection ended the debate about rotation, returns and rest that had shaped the build up to the match in Athens.

AEK Athens vs Real Madrid confirmed lineups give both head coaches a clear picture before kickoff, because AEK Athens also named a settled side, with Luka Jovic leading the attack against a former club and Alberto Brignoli starting in goal. Real Madrid arrive in Athens with three wins from three Champions League games and six straight wins in all competitions since the international break, while AEK Athens arrive with three points from three European games and a derby defeat behind them in domestic football.

The confirmed selections matter for more than one night. A fourth straight Champions League win would keep Real Madrid on maximum points at the halfway point of the league phase, while a first home win in the competition for AEK Athens would change the mood around a campaign that has slipped after a strong start. The team news also matters for the LaLiga title race, because Real Madrid sit three points behind leaders Barcelona, and the players who start in Athens will carry form and fitness into the trip to Valencia at the weekend.

AEK Athens vs Real Madrid Confirmed Lineups in Full

The list published by Real Madrid reads as follows: Thibaut Courtois in goal; Denzel Dumfries, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and Marc Cucurella in defence; Eduardo Camavinga, Bernardo Silva and Jude Bellingham in midfield; Yan Diomande, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe in attack. The substitutes list published by Real Madrid names Andriy Lunin, Mestre, Dean Huijsen, Federico Valverde, Endrick, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Alvaro Carreras, Espi, Brahim Diaz, Thiago and Sergio Martinez.

AEK Athens named the following starting lineup: Alberto Brignoli in goal; Lazaros Rota, Harold Moukoudi, Filipe Relvas and Stavros Pilios in defence; Aboubakary Koita, Kairinen, Arriaga and Lovro Majer in midfield; Luka Jovic and Mijat Gacinovic in attack. The substitutes list for AEK Athens names Thomas Strakosha, Balamotis, Oleksandr Zubkov, Razvan Marin, Barnabas Varga, Petros Mantalos, Domagoj Vida, Lykogiannis, Vitalis and Zini. Thomas Strakosha is on the bench because of a wrist injury, so Alberto Brignoli starts in goal for the home side.

Neither Arda Guler nor Aurelien Tchouameni appears in the confirmed starting lineup or on the substitutes list published by Real Madrid. Team news before kickoff had described both players as rested, and the confirmed list gives no injury update for either player. The absence of both players from the matchday list is therefore recorded here as a selection decision, not as an injury, because no injury was announced in the confirmed team news checked for this article.

The table below sets out the Champions League form of both clubs before kickoff.

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Goals For	Goals Against	Points
AEK Athens	3	1	0	2	3	8	3
Real Madrid	3	3	0	0	10	5	9

Vinicius Junior Return Headlines Strong Real Madrid Selection for AEK Athens

Vinicius Junior returns for AEK Athens vs Real Madrid, and the return is the headline selection decision of the evening. Vinicius Junior has missed three LaLiga games through suspension, but the domestic ban does not apply in Europe, so the Brazil winger is available for the Champions League trip to Athens. Vinicius Junior missed the Clasico win at Barcelona and the 3-0 LaLiga win at Racing Santander through suspension, and Real Madrid coped without the winger in both games. The confirmed lineup now restores Vinicius Junior to the starting side alongside Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande, which is the strongest attacking selection available to Jose Mourinho for the match in Athens.

Yan Diomande keeps a starting place after outstanding form in the absence of Vinicius Junior, with four goals and four assists in six games since the international break, including a stunning strike from the edge of the box against Racing Santander on Sunday. The form of Yan Diomande had changed the debate around the left wing from a simple return to a genuine contest for a starting place, and the confirmed lineup resolves the debate by starting both players, with Yan Diomande and Vinicius Junior in the same attack. Mourinho had refused to commit either way in the build up to the match, and the confirmed selection shows that Mourinho chose strength over rotation for the trip to Greece.

The team news also confirmed five changes from the side that won at Racing Santander, with Vinicius Junior, Denzel Dumfries, Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga all recalled to the starting lineup alongside the return of Eder Militao. The scale of the changes underlines the message from the build up, when Mourinho warned the players to get serious ahead of the Athens trip as Real Madrid close in on the qualification places. A rotated side would have carried risk against a home side with a point to prove, and the confirmed lineup removes that risk by naming experience in every line of the team.

For Vinicius Junior, the match in Athens offers rhythm before a return to LaLiga action, where the domestic ban has kept the winger out of recent games. A strong performance in Athens, with a goal or an assist, would underline the depth that Mourinho has available in attack and would restore match sharpness ahead of the Valencia trip. For Real Madrid, the return of Vinicius Junior also restores a one against one threat on the flank, which AEK Athens must contain without leaving space for Kylian Mbappe through the centre.

Eder Militao Returns to Real Madrid Starting Lineup After Serious Hamstring Injury in April

Eder Militao returns to the Real Madrid starting lineup for the first time since sustaining a serious hamstring injury in April, and the return is the most significant defensive news in the confirmed lineups. Eder Militao starts in central defence alongside Antonio Rudiger, with Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella as the full backs in the confirmed selection. The return gives Mourinho a settled defensive pairing for a difficult away ground, and the selection shows trust in the recovery of Eder Militao after a long absence from the starting side.

The defensive changes extend beyond Eder Militao. Denzel Dumfries and Antonio Rudiger are recalled, Eduardo Camavinga returns in midfield, and Marc Cucurella and Bernardo Silva complete a starting lineup built around experience and control. Federico Valverde is among the substitutes after missing the Racing Santander win, which gives Mourinho a further option from the bench in defence or midfield. Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Brahim Diaz and Endrick are also among the substitutes, which underlines the depth available to Mourinho even with Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni absent from the matchday list.

Rodrygo remains out with a knee injury and Raul Asencio remains out with a leg injury, while Ferland Mendy is not in the Champions League squad for Real Madrid. The absences explain part of the defensive shape, because Mourinho has fewer specialist options at full back and in central defence than in attack. The return of Eder Militao therefore matters for the weeks ahead as well as for the night in Athens, because a fit and trusted central defender eases the load on Antonio Rudiger and Dean Huijsen through a demanding run of Champions League and LaLiga fixtures.

Luka Jovic Leads AEK Athens Attack Against Former Club Real Madrid

Luka Jovic leads the AEK Athens attack against a former club, and the meeting gives the home side a focal point in attack. Luka Jovic played 51 games for Real Madrid between 2019 and 2022, with nine of the appearances coming in the Champions League, before a career path that took Luka Jovic through Fiorentina and AC Milan to AEK Athens. The Serbia striker starts alongside Mijat Gacinovic in the confirmed AEK Athens lineup, with service expected from a midfield built to protect transitions and supply early balls into the penalty area.

Barnabas Varga is among the substitutes for AEK Athens, which is a notable selection decision by Marko Nikolic, because Barnabas Varga had returned to full fitness and had been expected to partner Luka Jovic in attack. Razvan Marin is also among the substitutes, which leaves experienced options on the bench for the second half if AEK Athens need a change in shape or energy. The confirmed lineup therefore asks Luka Jovic to hold the ball, bring team mates into play and finish the limited chances that Real Madrid are likely to allow, while the bench options give Nikolic a way to change the attack if the first plan does not work.

AEK Athens arrive in a difficult position in the Champions League table, in 29th place with three points from three games. The home side opened the league phase campaign with a 1-0 win over LASK, but then lost to Shakhtar Donetsk and lost 5-1 to Manchester City. The European run was followed by a deflating 2-0 defeat to Panathinaikos in the Athens derby, which leaves AEK Athens in need of a response on a home Champions League night. A strong start, a disciplined defensive shape and a goal from Luka Jovic would change the atmosphere inside the stadium, while an early Real Madrid goal would test the resolve of a home side low on confidence.

Jude Bellingham Chases Youngest Player Record With 60th Champions League Appearance

Jude Bellingham can set a Champions League record in AEK Athens vs Real Madrid, because one more appearance would take Jude Bellingham to 60 games in the competition. At 23 years and 128 days old, Jude Bellingham would be the youngest player ever to reach 60 Champions League appearances, ahead of Iker Casillas, who reached 60 games at 23 years and 167 days. The record is a measure of early opportunity and sustained selection, and Jude Bellingham has earned the milestone through performances for Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid across several seasons in Europe.

Jude Bellingham arrives in Athens in strong form after scoring in the 3-0 win at Racing Santander on Sunday, and the confirmed lineup places Jude Bellingham at the centre of the Real Madrid midfield for the Athens trip. Denzel Dumfries could also reach a milestone in Athens, with a 50th Champions League appearance possible, while Kylian Mbappe could score in a sixth straight outing in the competition. The milestones underline the experience inside the Real Madrid squad, even in a team that includes young players such as Yan Diomande.

The history of meetings between the clubs gives AEK Athens genuine encouragement, even against a Real Madrid side in strong form. The clubs have met four times in official competition, with one win each and two draws. AEK Athens are unbeaten in the two home meetings with Real Madrid, with one win and one draw, and AEK Athens are also unbeaten in two home Champions League games against Spanish visitors. Real Madrid won only once in eight UEFA away games against Greek clubs before the most recent meeting, and the first win away to a Greek opponent at the eighth attempt came last season, in a 4-3 win at Olympiacos. Real Madrid have won seven of fifteen games against Greek clubs in total, with six draws and two defeats, and none of the last 33 Champions League matches for Real Madrid has ended in a draw, with 22 wins and 11 defeats in that run. Goals have arrived in the last 34 group stage and league phase away matches for Real Madrid, which is a club record, and the figures explain why Mourinho prepared for a difficult night and why AEK Athens will believe that the home ground can level the contest.

What AEK Athens vs Real Madrid Confirmed Lineups Mean for Champions League Race and Valencia Trip

AEK Athens vs Real Madrid confirmed lineups matter beyond the ninety minutes in Athens, because the result will shape the second half of the league phase for both clubs and the domestic schedule that follows. A fourth win would keep Real Madrid on maximum points and strengthen the push for a direct place in the round of 16, without the extra burden of a play off round. A win for AEK Athens would move the home side to six points and back into the race for the play off places, with belief restored after a difficult run of results in Europe and in domestic football.

The domestic schedule adds a further layer for Real Madrid. After Athens, Real Madrid return to LaLiga action with a trip to Valencia, where the club sit third in LaLiga with 27 points from eleven games, two points behind Atletico Madrid and three points behind Barcelona. The title race in LaLiga is tight, and the Champions League trip to Athens must not drain the energy needed for Valencia. The confirmed lineup in Athens is strong, but the substitutes list also gives Mourinho options to manage minutes in the second half, with Federico Valverde, Brahim Diaz, Endrick and Trent Alexander-Arnold all available from the bench.

For AEK Athens, the confirmed lineup is a statement of intent from Marko Nikolic, with a settled defence, a midfield asked to protect transitions, and Luka Jovic trusted to lead the attack against a former club. The home crowd will expect a response after the derby defeat, and the players will know that a Champions League night against Real Madrid is the stage where a season can change direction. The favourites are Real Madrid, on form, on depth and on Champions League record, but AEK Athens have history, home advantage and desperation on the side of the home team. If Real Madrid start fast and score early, the evening could follow the pattern of recent Real Madrid wins. If AEK Athens survive the opening period and grow into the game, the Allwyn Arena could produce a Champions League night that defies the form guide. The match is live on TNT Sports 3 and TNT Sports 9 in the UK, with streaming on HBO Max, and on Paramount Plus in the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions