AEK Athens breaks 8-year Champions League winless streak with victory over LASK Austria
Răzvan Marin's first-half free-kick delivers a 1-0 win as AEK returns to European football's biggest stage with a statement result
AEK Athens opened their 2026/27 UEFA Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory over LASK Linz on September 8, ending an eight-year drought without a win in Europe’s premier club competition. The result at Allwyn Arena in Athens was slim on the scoreboard but massive in symbolic weight for a club that last tasted Champions League success during the 2018/19 season.
Răzvan Marin provided the only goal of the night, curling in a free-kick in the 21st minute that proved to be the difference.
A tight affair decided by fine margins
AEK posted estimated expected goals of 1.59 across the 90 minutes, compared to 0.81 for LASK.
AEK thought they had doubled their lead when Luka Jović found the net, but VAR intervened and ruled the effort offside. LASK, for their part, pushed late for an equalizer and had at least one opportunity to level. The Austrian side’s Champions League debut, their first appearance at this level in 61 years, ended without a point to show for the occasion.
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AEK’s road back to Europe’s top table
AEK secured their spot in the 2026/27 Champions League league phase after dismantling Levski Sofia 4-0 on aggregate during the August playoff round.
The last time AEK competed in the Champions League group stage was the 2018/19 campaign, a season that didn’t go particularly well. They failed to win a single match in that edition, finishing bottom of their group.
What this means for the league phase
Domestically, AEK’s attention turns to their next Greek Super League match against Asteras Tripolis.