AEK Athens faces selection challenges ahead of Champions League clash with Real Madrid

AEK Athens is preparing for the Champions League League Phase match against Real Madrid, scheduled for Wednesday at 19:45 at the Allwyn Arena. Head coach Marko Nikolic is finalizing his squad amidst several health concerns affecting key players. Portuguese midfielder Joao Mario has been ruled out of the upcoming fixtures after being diagnosed with pneumonia, which required hospitalization. He is expected to miss both the match against Real Madrid and Sunday’s league game against Levadiakos.

In addition to Mario, the participation of Lazaros Rota and Aboubakar Koita remains uncertain as they recover from recent illnesses that hampered their performance in the derby against Panathinaikos. Conversely, goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha has returned to training and is available for selection, though it remains unclear if he will replace Alberto Brignoli, who has maintained consistent match fitness. Players Kutesa, Georgiev, Kaloskamis, and Alexiou remain ineligible for the European competition list.