Soccer-Valverde rescues Real as Liverpool lose at Fenerbahce


Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - AEK Athens v Real Madrid - AEK Arena, Athens, Greece - November 4, 2026 Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki

Nov 4 (Reuters) - ⁠Federico Valverde struck in stoppage time to give Real ⁠Madrid a dramatic 3-2 Champions League victory at AEK Athens ‌on Wednesday, while Liverpool surrendered the lead twice in a 3-2 defeat at Fenerbahce.

Real twice came from behind to maintain their perfect start and sit second ​on 12 points from four matches, behind ⁠Paris St Germain on goal ⁠difference.

AEK threatened from the outset and Aboubakary Koita rewarded their early ⁠pressure ‌in the 12th minute, cutting inside and firing into the top corner from just inside the box.

Thibaut Courtois ⁠denied Luka Jovic before Jude Bellingham, who had an ​effort ruled out ‌for offside in the 27th minute, equalised five minutes ⁠later with a ​deft backheel from Marc Cucurella's low cross.

Koita's driving run and pass set up Stavros Pilios to restore AEK's lead in the 75th minute, ⁠his low shot going through Courtois' legs.

Kylian ​Mbappe tapped in Denzel Dumfries' cross three minutes later before Valverde delivered the winner, leaving AEK 30th on three points.

LIVERPOOL'S WINNING START ENDS

Liverpool ⁠arrived in Istanbul with three wins from three but Vedat Muriqi's 79th-minute winner ended that run and earned Fenerbahce their first victory of the campaign.

Trey Nyoni put the visitors ahead in the ​25th minute, only for Mason Greenwood to ⁠equalise four minutes later.

Alexander Isak restored Liverpool's advantage in the 69th ​minute, but Archie Brown levelled in the ‌73rd before Muriqi completed the turnaround.

Liverpool ​dropped to fifth with nine points, while Fenerbahce climbed to 19th on five.

(Reporting by Fernando KallasEditing by Toby Davis)

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