February 24th, 2011. That was the last time Manchester City hosted Greek away fans. It was for a Europa League round of 32 tie against Aris, whose 8,000 fans turned the Etihad Stadium into a sea of yellow and black. For context, the third tier of the south stand hadn't even been built yet.
On Tuesday, the now three-tiered stand will swarm in the same colours again, with banners displaying a yellow double-headed eagle, referencing one of the Byzantine Empire's flags.
The acronym AEK, read as one word - Athlitiki Enosi Konstantinoupoleos in Greek - translates to Athletic Union of Constantinople, as the club was founded by immigrants of Greek origin in 1924. They came from that city, which is now known as Istanbul, and the club serves as a bittersweet reminder of their ancestral homeland.
The need to know about Manchester City versus AEK Athens
City fans can also expect to see various banners and shirts bearing the words ‘Original 21’, the name of AEK’s dedicated ultra group. Fans may have seen videos on social media of about 10,000 supporters taking over Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, with their relentless, passionate chanting starting long before kick-off.
Enzo Maresca will be aware of the ferocity of Greek fans, as he spent a year playing in Greece with Olympiacos.
AEK’s tactical profile
Serbian manager Marko Nicolic has managed the Greek Super League champions since the start of the summer of 2025. His side has been unbeaten in the league for the past year and is the only remaining unbeaten side in the top flight this season.
The 47-year-old deploys a rigid 4-2-2-2 formation, emphasising central progression by maintaining short distances in midfield and playing with quick, intricate combinations.
The 14-time league champions do not adhere to a fixed tactical philosophy; instead, they have become a side capable of adapting to their opponent, just as comfortable dominating possession as they are maintaining a compact shape out of possession.
Nikolic opts to adjust a player’s role and position on the pitch to suit the game's needs rather than radically changing his formation. A great example of that came last month in the Champions League against LASK. The Austrian side were renowned for their ability to play in transition by adding a player in midfield.
Instead of removing one of the front two for an extra midfielder, Marko Nicolić opted to drop his two strikers deeper and have one of his attacking midfielders come in when needed to bring a midfield trio.
Summer signing Milan Vitalis provided midfield balance, dropping deep to support the defence before advancing forward when the opportunity arose. The result was a 1-0 win in which, despite not dominating possession, AEK never really looked like they had lost their grip on the game.
Their midweek game in London, however, showed the team’s limitations and inexperience at the highest level. Against Shakhtar, AEK managed to minimise their opponent’s threat from open play and created plenty of goalscoring opportunities.
They were unable, however, to sustain that past the hour mark, and ultimately a series of mistakes cost them dearly. Right after breaking the deadlock, the team got carried away by their momentum and left themselves vulnerable through the middle, ultimately leading to the home side equalising.
Once fatigue became apparent, AEK were unable to keep possession in Shakhtar’s half and, eventually, a series of mistakes culminated in backup goalkeeper Alberto Bringoli conceding a regrettable goal at his near post. From then on, the Greek side was unable to react and was dealt a third blow.
Key players
Former Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic is a central pillar of the team’s attacking sequences, as he likes to drop deep to receive with his back to goal and either combine in the half-spaces or look for a runner to play it through. His partnership with Barnabas Varga has been key to their domestic success.
The Hungarian is the one who engages in more duels and is the team’s focal point, allowing Luka to roam in midfield. Varga arrived in England fresh from a hamstring strain and barely featured against Shakhtar, making it unlikely that he will start on Tuesday night.
Razvan Marin has been a stalwart of the side since last season and has become the side’s dedicated set-piece taker and tempo setter. The Romanian scored his side’s winner against LASK with a phenomenal free-kick that landed in the top corner. Once he and Lovro Majer came off, Nikolic’s side were unable to further impose themselves in the game and seemed to forfeit any control they had in possession.
Majer is a key cog in this well-oiled machine, as was intended when he became the club’s second-most-expensive signing this past summer window. The Croatian was signed for a fee of €6 million from Wolfsburg and has added another dimension to AEK’s game.
The 28-year-old has become the side’s designated playmaker, typically positioning himself in the right half-space but with freedom of movement. He stands out from the rest of the pack thanks to his technique and decision-making, and has perfected the Greek side’s ability to attack at a higher tempo.
This heavy investment was made to compensate for the loss of Orbelin Pineda, who departed in July of this year. The Mexican was a workhorse in the middle of the park, as he was an all-phase midfielder who contributed heavily both in defence and in attack.
His creative mantle has been taken over by Majer, but Marin’s midfield partner changes between games, with all three new midfield signings having been tested as a midfield partner to the Romanian, but none being able to yet fully replace the presence of Pineda.
Faced with the strange paradox of having to play two consecutive Champions League away games in England, AEK opted to reschedule their fixture to the weekend in order to spend the week in England.
As such, the squad will be in Manchester from Saturday and will therefore have some additional days to prepare for the fixture compared to Man City. Marko Nicolic has never lost two consecutive fixtures since his appointment and will be hoping to find ways to minimise City's threat.
The gulf in quality between the two sides is clear. If Enzo Maresca's side manages to prevent AEK from ever really settling into the game, then perhaps they might be in for a relatively comfortable night. If the Athenians, though, manage to ever find their footing during the game, then the encounter may prove to be more challenging than expected.
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