AEK Athens returns home following Champions League defeats

AEK Athens has returned to Greece following a demanding nine-day trip to England, which included two Champions League defeats against Shakhtar Donetsk (3-1) in London and Manchester City (5-1) in Manchester. The squad landed in Athens on October 21 to begin preparations for their upcoming domestic duties.

The team’s immediate focus is the Stoiximan Super League match against Panetolikos, scheduled for October 24 at 20:00 at the Allwyn Arena. Manager Marko Nikolic must adjust his lineup, as midfielder Lovro Majer is suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Additionally, the medical staff is assessing the availability of Zini, who suffered a shoulder blade injury, and goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, who remained in Athens for rehabilitation.

Following the match against Panetolikos, AEK faces a challenging stretch of fixtures. Within an eight-day window, the team is set to compete against PAOK in the Superbet Cup on October 28, Panathinaikos in the league on November 1, and Real Madrid in the Champions League on November 4. The coaching staff is currently prioritizing player recovery and tactical readjustments to handle this high-intensity schedule.