UEFA Champions League,
League Stage – 3
Manchester City
MCI
AEK Athens FC
AEK
-
Venue
- Etihad Stadium
-
Referee
- Willy Delajod
Where to Watch Manchester City v AEK Athens: TV and online streams
Manchester City versus AEK Athens kicks off at 8pm BST on Tuesday, October 20 at the Etihad Stadium.
In the UK, it is being shown on TNT Sports and you can stream it on the HBO Max app. In the US, the game is on Paramount+ at 3pm ET.
If you live outside the UK, click the LINK HERE to find out where to watch it in your region.
Preview for Manchester City v AEK Athens
Manchester City’s Champions League campaign needs to get back on track. A week after PSG handed them a 4-2 defeat at the Etihad, City host Greek champions AEK Athens on Tuesday night in what will be the club’s 150th match in Europe’s elite competition.
City will be in good spirits, at least domestically. Saturday’s 3-2 win over Ipswich Town made it seven Premier League wins from seven, making Maresca’s side only the third team in Premier League history to win their first seven games of a season. But it was a costly afternoon. Several players pulled up with knocks – the worst of which has seen Antoine Semenyo ruled out for eight weeks – and Maresca now has to weigh up a demanding run of fixtures.
He said: “It is a huge game, tomorrow for us. It is a Champions League game, unfortunately we lost the last one, we need to win games and we are going to try to win the game with our best players in this moment.”
Maresca had a brief spell in Greek football, as a player with Olympiacos in the 2009/10 season.
“It is a Champions League game, different competition but the ambition has to be the same, try to win games and again,” he said. “I had one year experience there [in Greece]. As I said a few conferences ago, it is nice because it is very warm, every game, at home, away, but it was a good experience.”
AEK are back in the Champions League for the first time since 2018-19, and they’ve made a mixed start. They beat LASK 1-0 in Athens on matchday one, before losing 3-1 against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Domestically, they’ve been excellent. AEK have conceded just three goals in their opening five league matches while scoring 13, and they had an extra few days to prepare after their game against Atromitos was postponed.
The history books make for grim reading for the Greek side, though. AEK have never won an away game in the Champions League proper, drawing five and losing 11. They have also lost seven of their last eight Champions League games against English opposition.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.
Champions League Table
UEFA Champions League 2026
World
| # | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Paris Saint Germain |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 2 |
Barcelona |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 3 |
Aston Villa |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 4 |
VfB Stuttgart |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 5 |
Liverpool |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 6 |
Sporting CP |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 7 |
Arsenal |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 8 |
Real Madrid |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 9 |
Real Betis |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 10 |
Bayern München |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
D
W
|
| 11 |
Shakhtar Donetsk |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
W
D
|
| 12 |
Como |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 13 |
Manchester United |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 14 |
Villarreal |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 15 |
Atletico Madrid |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 16 |
Club Brugge KV |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 17 |
Manchester City |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 18 |
Borussia Dortmund |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 19 |
Lens |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 20 |
AEK Athens FC |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 21 |
RB Leipzig |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 22 |
Sabah FA |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 23 |
Feyenoord |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 24 |
Bodo/Glimt |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 25 |
AS Roma |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 1 |
L
D
|
| 26 |
PSV Eindhoven |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 |
L
D
|
| 27 |
Viking |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 1 |
D
L
|
| 28 |
Fenerbahçe |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 1 |
L
D
|
| 29 |
Inter |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 30 |
FC Porto |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 31 |
Slavia Praha |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 32 |
Napoli |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 33 |
Lask Linz |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 34 |
Lille |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 35 |
Galatasaray |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 36 |
Slovan Bratislava |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | -8 | 0 |
L
L
|
- Position 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 : Promotion – Champions League (Play Offs: 1/8-finals)
- Position 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 : Promotion – Champions League (Play Offs: 1/16-finals)
Team News for Manchester City v AEK Athens
Bar Semenyo, the rest of City’s walking wounded appear to have pulled through relatively unscathed. Erling Haaland is a doubt, though, and Maresca must consider whether to persist with his ace number nine or give him a rest. One option could be to play Phil Foden in attack.
For AEK, goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha is out with a wrist injury, so Alessandro Brignoli is set to start. Luka Jović is expected to lead the line.
Expected line-ups for Manchester City v AEK Athens
Manchester City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Guehi, Khusanov, Gvardiol; Anderson, Bouaddi, Cherki; Ndiaye, Doku, Foden
AEK Athens: Brignoli; Rota, Moukoudi, Relvas, Pilios; Majer, Vitalis, Marin, Koita; Jović, Zini
Recent Form & Stats for Manchester City v AEK Athens
- Erling Haaland is City’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League, having overtaken Sergio Agüero’s 36 goals.
- AEK Athens beat LASK 1-0 on matchday one before losing 3-1 at Shakhtar Donetsk.
- AEK have never won an away game in the Champions League proper (D5 L11).
- AEK have lost seven of their last eight Champions League games against English clubs.
- City are unbeaten in their last four Champions League games against Greek opposition.
- This is the first meeting between the two clubs.
Prediction for Manchester City v AEK Athens
Even without Semenyo, and most likely Haaland, City should still have too much for AEK. Expect a handsome home win.
Match Prediction
Manchester City
AEK Athens FC
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