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Valverde blast snatches Real Madrid late win at AEK Athens

Mbappe bent a shot narrowly wide of the top corner with Italian stopper Brignoli at full stretch.

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Real Madrid's Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League, league phase matchday 4, football match between AEK Athens and Real Madrid at the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens. Pic/AFP

Real Madrid's Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League, league phase matchday 4, football match between AEK Athens and Real Madrid at the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens. Pic/AFP

Federico Valverde lashed home a stunning effort from distance to snatch Real Madrid a late 3-2 victory at AEK Athens on Wednesday in the Champions League and preserve their 100 percent start. Jose Mourinho's side twice came from behind against the Greek champions before Valverde claimed all three points for his side, level with holders Paris Saint-Germain on four wins from four league phase games. Aboubakary Koita sent AEK ahead after 12 minutes and Jude Bellingham equalised with a sublime flick for the record 15-time winners. 

Stavros Pilios sent the Greek champions ahead with 15 minutes to go but Kylian Mbappe swiftly pulled Madrid level once again, setting the stage for Valverde's late winner. "Fede has that capability... (but) I didn't ask him to shoot," Mourinho told Movistar about his match-winner, who came on in the second half. "I told him was that the game was wide open, it was being played at great speed... a fresh player like Fede, with his ability to cover a lot of ground, I told him to attack the space and arrive in the dangerous areas." Madrid have now won seven straight games across all competitions. "We fought for (the victory), and with the score at 2-2 we didn't settle," added Mourinho. 

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