AEK Athens vs LASK: Champions League Clash of In-Form Leaders

AEK Athens and LASK meet for the first time on 8 September 2026, with both sides arriving in ruthless form and sitting top of their Champions League groups. Kick-off is set for 17:45 – and neither team looks in the mood to blink.

This is not a slow-burn group-stage tie. It already feels like a marker for the rest of their European campaigns.

AEK flying under Nikolic

Marko Nikolic has AEK Athens purring. Four wins and a draw from their last five in all competitions, 16 goals scored, just one conceded. Those are title-contender numbers.

Their recent 5-0 demolition of Aris Thessaloniki in the Super League underlined just how sharp they are in both boxes. Before that, a 4-0 dismantling of Iraklis earlier in August. Three straight wins, three statements.

Nikolic is expected to go strong again. Thomas Strakosha should start in goal, protected by a side that has barely given up a chance in weeks. In midfield, AEK will lean on the control and craft of Razvan Marin, Lovro Majer, and Kaan Kairinen – a trio built to dominate the ball and dictate tempo.

Up front, Luka Jovic and Barnabas Varga offer a blend of penalty-box instinct and physical presence. With no injuries or suspensions reported, Nikolic has the luxury every coach wants at this stage: a full-strength squad and a team already in rhythm.

LASK arrive with a comeback fresh in the memory

LASK’s recent form reads almost as impressively: four wins from their last five, 15 goals scored, five conceded. The only blemish? A 3-0 defeat to Celtic in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier.

But that setback lit a fire. LASK roared back with a stunning 5-1 win in the second leg to flip the tie on its head and send a clear message about their resilience and attacking punch.

Domestic results back that up. A controlled 3-0 victory over Altach. A 3-1 away win at Wolfsberger AC in the Austrian Bundesliga. This is a side that doesn’t mind playing on the front foot, home or away.

Dietmar Kühbauer is set to trust his regular core. Lukas Jungwirth should start in goal, with Melayro Bogarde and Sascha Horvath driving the midfield, bringing energy and bite in the centre of the pitch. Moses Usor leads the line, tasked with stretching AEK’s back line and punishing any rare lapses.

Like AEK, LASK report no injury or suspension issues at this stage, giving Kühbauer a full deck to play with.

First meeting, high stakes

There is no head-to-head history to lean on here. No old grudges, no familiar patterns. This appears to be the first meeting between AEK Athens and LASK at this level, which adds a layer of intrigue: two well-drilled, confident sides trying to figure each other out on the fly.

Both clubs currently sit first in their Champions League standings. That alone sharpens the edge of this early fixture. Points here do more than pad a group tally – they shape the direction of the campaign.

AEK, with their defensive steel and recent goal flurries, will expect to impose themselves at home. LASK, fresh from overturning Celtic, know they can walk into hostile territory and come away with something.

Two teams in form. No history. Top spot on the line.

Something has to give.