Valverde thunderbolt seals Real Madrid late show

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AEK twice took the lead as Aboubakary Koita, who was sent off after full-time, and Stavros Pilios put the home side ahead twice, but Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe dragged Madrid level before Valverde's fierce strike at ALLWYN Arena.

Thibaut Courtois was forced into an early save by Mijat Gacinovic, but the Madrid goalkeeper could do nothing in the 12th minute when Koita quickly shifted onto his left foot to get past Marc Cucurella and lashed in at the near post.

Courtois was called upon again, keeping out former Los Blancos forward Luka Jovic, before Mbappe fired over the bar from Yan Diomande's cutback in what was Madrid's first clear-cut chance.

Bellingham saw a goal disallowed just before the half-hour mark, but equalised in stunning fashion in the 32nd minute as he sent Cucurella's low cross into the bottom-right corner with a brilliant flick.

Madrid was on top in the early stages of the second half, but Cucurella was denied by a last-ditch block from Lazaros Rota, while Mbappe's low drive was turned away by a sliding Pilios.

Pilios then stunned the visitors in the 75th minute, finishing through the leg of Courtois following an under-lapping run into the box, but AEK's lead only lasted three minutes as Mbappe was on hand to tap in from Denzel Dumfries' centre.

Madrid's hopes of a win seemed to be over when Mbappe struck the crossbar following a trivela pass from Endrick, but substitute Valverde was afforded too much space and sent a rocket into the top-right corner from distance to cap another comeback victory for Jose Mourinho's side.

AEK's night took a turn for the worse after the final whistle, too, as Koita saw red for persistently confronting the referee.