After the thrilling victory, Mourinho outlines his ambitions in the UEFA Champions League.

The Portuguese coach added: "It is often said that the stronger team does not start matches well and does not show its best form, but honestly, AEK Athens delivered a performance beyond their level. It was their best match; they were strong from the start, outperformed us in physical duels, and posed a significant threat. The Greek team did not settle for a 2-2 draw or a point, but aimed for victory and delivered an excellent performance."

Mourinho spoke about Federico Valverde, who scored the winning goal with a powerful shot in the 92nd minute, saying: "Valverde knows how to shoot powerfully, but it is difficult when used as a right-back. I didn't ask him to shoot today; I told him to play at a fast pace because the match was open."

He explained: "Given both teams' struggles with physical fatigue, I asked him to exploit spaces and move into dangerous areas, using his activity and physical vitality."

Regarding Vinícius, Mourinho said: "I think he performed well, but I decided to activate the left flank with two substitutions because Marc Cucurella received a yellow card. I brought in Álvaro Carriera, who was physically active and made good runs on the wing. As for Brahim Díaz, he excels in playing in the attacking depth, so I wanted to activate that flank, but Vinícius had a good match."

Courtois: We Never Give Up

For his part, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois praised his team's mental toughness after the difficult win, saying: "We knew it would be a tough match here; AEK is a team that plays fiercely and presses hard at the start. They had 4 chances in the first 15 minutes. But we handled the situation well and managed to equalize, and our reaction was positive; we held onto hope until the last moments."

The Belgian goalkeeper added: "I don't know the secret behind this comeback; it’s about believing until the end, and this is a distinctive feature of Real Madrid. We never give up, just like in the match against Roma, and we achieved an important victory in our quest to finish the group stage among the top 8 teams in the standings."

When asked about his Brazilian teammate Vinícius Júnior needing confidence, Courtois replied: "Yes, but the whole team trusts him, and the Greek team defended well, making it difficult for everyone, whether it was Vinícius or Kylian Mbappé. Coach José Mourinho rotates the lineup and gives everyone their chance, which is good."

Real Madrid achieved their fourth consecutive victory in the UEFA Champions League, maintaining a perfect record thanks to Valverde's last-minute goal in the 92nd minute, which left the Greek team frustrated after they had taken the lead twice.