AEK’s five most memorable Champions League matches





On Wednesday, AEK Athens make their glorious return to the UEFA Champions League group stages, facing Ajax in Amsterdam for the maiden match of Group E. In connection with the event, AGONAsport takes a look at the club’s five most memorable games in the competition.

Watch LIVE from AGONAsport: Ajax - AEK, UEFA Champions League matchday 1 on Wednesday September 19th. Details here.

Following a long, painstaking 12-year wait, AEK are back in the big time, seeing off the challenges of Celtic and Vidi in the qualifying rounds to make the UEFA Champions League group phase. AEK will play the might of Bayern Munich, Benfica and Ajax in Group E, but the Enosis can draw hope from previous successes in the tournament. Let’s review the five most memorable AEK matches in the Champions League:

October 2, 2002. AEK - Real Madrid - 3:3, UEFA Champions League group stage

Incredibly, in six group stage matches, AEK picked up a credible six draws against Real Madrid, AS Roma and Genk, finishing in third place and qualifying for the UEFA Cup. On matchday three, the Athenians hosted Spanish giants Real Madrid in Nea Filadelfeia, playing out a pulsating 3:3 draw. Vasilis Tsiartas’ early opener was cancelled out by Zinedine Zidane, but in an unlikely turn of events, two markers from Christos Maledenis and Demis Nikolaidis gifted AEK a 3:1 lead. Unfortunately for the Enosis, Zidane and Guti eventually made it 3:3, but AEK could leave the pitch with their heads held high.