Razvan Marin scored a brilliant free kick to give AEK Athens a 1-0 win over LASK and a winning start to their Champions League campaign.
The result was one of several positive openings on Tuesday night, with Manchester City, Real Madrid, Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund and Real Betis also all beginning their European campaigns with victories. For AEK Athens, though, Marin’s moment was the clear difference in a tight match that needed a single piece of quality.
AEK Athens make the most of one big chance
With the score locked at 0-0, Marin produced the decisive strike against LASK and AEK Athens held on for the 1-0 result. That is exactly the sort of start teams want in the Champions League: take the chance when it arrives, then protect the lead.
The win will give AEK Athens confidence early in the group stage, especially because opening matches can often shape the tone of a campaign. A narrow result does not always tell the full story, but in European competition the points matter first and the margin matters less.
Tuesday's broader Champions League picture
The AEK Athens result sat alongside a busy night across Europe, with a number of big clubs also getting off to winning starts. Manchester City’s post-match interviews added another layer to the update, with Enzo Fernandez, Enzo Maresca and Erling Haaland all speaking after the game.
Maresca said his side could have scored more, especially in the first half, but felt they deserved to win and were good enough in possession and control. Haaland also stressed that these are the kinds of matches his team must win, describing the contest as difficult and saying the pressure meant they had to deliver on the biggest stage.
The next day, Liverpool and Arsenal were due to begin their Champions League campaigns, keeping the opening week of the competition moving quickly. For AEK Athens, though, the headline belonged to Marin and a free kick that delivered three important points.
