Real Madrid snatch late win in Athens as Liverpool lose in Istanbul

Spanish football club Real Madrid won their fourth match out of four in the UEFA Champions League, Europe's top club competition, on Wednesday, 4 November. Away to AEK Athens, they won 3-2, while in another fixture Liverpool of England suffered their first defeat of the campaign, losing 3-2 to Istanbul's Fenerbahce.

Real come back twice

Abubakari Koita put AEK ahead in the 12th minute, but Jude Bellingham levelled with a backheel finish in the 32nd. In the second half, Stavros Pilios restored AEK's lead in the 75th minute, and three minutes later Kylian Mbappe equalised. Federico Valverde won it for Real in the second minute of stoppage time with a long-range shot.

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are the only teams yet to drop points in their first four matches. Real Betis of Seville could join them on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool fall to Fenerbahce

In Istanbul, Trey Nyoni gave Liverpool the lead in the 25th minute, and four minutes later Mason Greenwood, a former Manchester United player, equalised from a penalty. Alexander Isak headed Liverpool back in front in the 69th minute after a cross from Cody Gakpo, but four minutes later Archie Brown made it 2-2. Vedat Muriqi scored the winner with a header in the 79th minute from a Brown cross.

Tournament format

This is the third season since the new Champions League format was introduced. In it, 36 teams play in a single group, and each team plays eight different opponents. The final will take place in Madrid on 5 June.

Paris Saint-Germain won the title for the second year running last season, beating London's Arsenal in a penalty shootout in the final.