AEK Athens vs LASK: Champions League Clash of In-Form Teams
Two sides in full stride meet on 8 Sept 2026 at 17:45, as AEK Athens host LASK in a Champions League clash that already feels like a test of how far both projects have come. Both clubs sit top of their respective groups, both are scoring freely, and neither has shown much interest in taking a backward step.
This is not a heavyweight rerun steeped in history. It’s something more intriguing: a first encounter between two sharp, confident teams trying to punch their way deeper into Europe.
AEK in full flow
AEK Athens arrive with the look of a team that knows exactly what it’s doing. Four wins and a draw from their last five in all competitions, 16 goals scored and just one conceded. Those are not just good numbers; they’re dominant ones.
Their recent 5-0 demolition of Aris Thessaloniki in the Super League underlined the mood around the club. Before that, a 4-0 dismantling of Iraklis in August added to the sense that Marko Nikolic has found both balance and bite.
Nikolic is expected to go strong again. Thomas Strakosha should start in goal, with the midfield built around the control and craft of Razvan Marin, Lovro Majer and Kaan Kairinen. That trio gives AEK a blend of passing range, pressing energy and set-piece threat that has underpinned this hot streak.
Up front, Luka Jovic and Barnabas Varga are set to lead the line. Jovic’s movement between the lines and Varga’s penalty-box instincts offer a twin threat that has been difficult to contain in recent weeks. Crucially for the hosts, there are no reported injuries or suspensions. Nikolic has a full deck, and he’s playing it aggressively.
LASK bring their own momentum
AEK are not the only ones in form. LASK arrive with four wins from their last five, and a statement result already tucked under their belt: a stunning turnaround against Celtic in Champions League qualification.
Beaten 3-0 in the first leg, Dietmar Kuehbauer’s side roared back with a 5-1 victory in the return match, flipping the tie and sending a clear message about their resilience and attacking punch. Across their last five games, they’ve scored 15 and conceded five, including a 3-0 win over Altach and a 1-3 success away at Wolfsberger AC in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Kuehbauer is set to trust the formula that has carried them here. Lukas Jungwirth should start in goal, while Melayro Bogarde and Sascha Horvath are expected to drive the midfield, bringing legs, aggression and the willingness to break lines. Up front, Moses Usor leads the attack, a constant outlet for direct balls and quick transitions.
Like AEK, LASK report no current injury or suspension concerns. For a game of this importance, that clean bill of health is no small advantage.
No history, high stakes
There is no head-to-head record to lean on. No old wounds, no familiar patterns. This meeting appears to be the first between AEK Athens and LASK at this level, which only heightens the sense of unpredictability.
What is clear is the context. Both clubs sit first in the Champions League standings, and this early fixture carries real weight in shaping the direction of their campaigns. A win here doesn’t just mean three points; it sets a tone, plants a flag and applies pressure on everyone else.
Two in-form sides. Two full-strength squads. One fresh European rivalry about to be written. Who seizes the initiative?
