When AEK Athens arrive at the Etihad, it will be the first time Greek away fans have visited since February 24th, 2011. That night, Aris brought 8,000 supporters who turned the stadium into a sea of yellow and black.
The south stand has changed since then — it is now three-tiered, whereas the third tier had not even been built for that Europa League round of 32 tie. The away end will look different, but the noise might not be.
AEK: More Than a Name
AEK stands for Athlitiki Enosi Konstantinoupoleos, which translates to Athletic Union of Constantinople. The club was founded in 1924 by immigrants of Greek origin from that city, now known as Istanbul. Their dedicated ultra group is called Original 21.
About 10,000 of their supporters took over Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Enzo Maresca knows the ferocity of Greek fans from his year playing for Olympiacos.
Nicolic's Unbeaten Machine
Marko Nicolic, the 47-year-old Serbian manager, has been in charge of the Greek Super League champions since the start of summer 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.
Nicolic deploys a rigid 4-2-2-2 formation, but AEK do not adhere to a fixed tactical philosophy. Last month in the Champions League against LASK, he dropped his two strikers deeper and brought in an attacking midfielder to create a midfield trio. The result was a 1-0 win.
Against Shakhtar, AEK minimised their opponent's threat from open play and created plenty of goalscoring opportunities. They were unable to sustain that past the hour mark, and backup goalkeeper Alberto Bringoli conceded a regrettable goal at his near post.
Summer signing Milan Vitalis has added to the squad. Former Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic is a central pillar of their attacking sequences, and his partnership with Barnabas Varga has been key to their domestic success.
For City, this is a test against a side that does not lose often. The 14-time league champions arrive with a familiar face in Maresca and a fanbase that travels in numbers. The Etihad's three tiers will need to be at their loudest.