AEK Athens suffered a damaging 2-0 defeat by rivals Panathinaikos on Sunday, ending their unbeaten start to the Greek league season just two days before they face Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The result leaves AEK Athens with little time to recover from their first domestic defeat of the campaign. They had entered the derby on the back of three successive league victories, but were unable to extend that run and now trail Panathinaikos by seven points.
Panathinaikos made the stronger start and were ahead after just one minute. Andreas Tetteh gave the home side an early lead, putting AEK Athens under immediate pressure and forcing them to chase the match from the outset.
The visitors struggled to respond before Santino Andino doubled Panathinaikos’ advantage at the start of the second half. The second goal made AEK Athens’ task considerably more difficult and strengthened the home side’s control of the derby.
AEK Athens did attempt to reduce the deficit and create a route back into the game. They produced several opportunities that could have changed the course of the match, but failed to convert them.
Their chances of salvaging a result were also not enough despite Panathinaikos playing the final 20 minutes with 10 men. AEK Athens could not make their numerical advantage count and were eventually beaten by their traditional rivals.
The defeat leaves AEK Athens facing the difficult task of restoring their balance in time for their next fixture. They will host Real Madrid on Tuesday, 04 November 2026, in the fourth round of the Champions League.
There is little opportunity for the Greek side to address the problems exposed in the derby before the European match. Greater concentration and discipline will be required against Real Madrid, who will arrive aiming to continue their winning run.
That ambition makes the challenge even harder for AEK Athens after the setback against Panathinaikos. Their immediate priority is to recover quickly and produce a much-improved performance when they return to Champions League action.
