Late Comeback Sees Real Madrid Maintain Perfect Champions League Record

Real Madrid maintained their perfect record in this year's Champions League by pulling off a stunning late comeback against AEK Athens. The Spanish giants twice found themselves behind before Federico Valverde sealed the win with a long-range strike in stoppage time.

The match was a closely contested affair, with AEK initially taking the lead through Aboubakary Koita in the first half. Real Madrid responded quickly, however, as Jude Bellingham leveled the score with a clever back heel.

Madrid's Kylian Mbappé then put his team ahead for the first time, equalizing just three minutes after being behind again. The French forward came close to scoring again soon after when he hit the crossbar but couldn't find the net.

With the match seemingly heading into extra time, Real Madrid's Valverde stepped up and scored from long range in the 92nd minute, securing a 3-2 win for his team at Allwyn Arena.

Real Madrid's coach Jose Mourinho praised his team's ability to win games in dramatic fashion after their late comeback against Liverpool. He noted that while it would be preferable to secure victories more comfortably, these nail-biting finishes are a hallmark of his team's spirit and determination.

The game itself was marked by a standout performance from England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who made history as the youngest player to reach 60 appearances in the Champions League. This achievement came on the back of an impressive display that saw him score with a clever flicked goal in the 32nd minute.

Bellingham's milestone broke the record held by former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who reached this landmark at the age of 23 years and 128 days. The England midfielder's skillful finish was made possible by Marc Cucurella's pinpoint cross, which he expertly flicked past goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli.

Bellingham downplayed his achievement, attributing it to instinct rather than any deliberate effort. He said that finding himself in a good position allowed him to react naturally and score the goal, describing it as "a nice one".

Mbappé's impressive form continued as he scored his 16th goal in just 15 appearances this season, also extending his scoring streak in the Champions League to six consecutive matches.

Meanwhile, Liverpool suffered a disappointing defeat at Fenerbahce, blowing their lead twice before ultimately falling short. The Merseyside club had taken the lead in each half through goals from Trey Nyoni and Alexander Isak.

However, Fenerbahce were able to level on both occasions, first through Mason Greenwood's goal and then through Archie Brown's strike. In the end, it was Vedat Muriqi who sealed the win for Fenerbahce with a late goal in the 89th minute.

The loss marked Liverpool's second consecutive defeat in all competitions, following their Premier League defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. Coach Andoni Iraola expressed frustration over his team's inability to defend against set pieces, conceding from three such situations during the match.