# AEK Athens prepares for Champions League League Phase > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/levski-sofia-football-club-match-developments > Updated: 2026-09-08T08:50:00.000Z. Sources: 151. Developments: 5. AEK Athens has officially secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League League Phase following a 4-0 victory over Levski Sofia. This marks the club’s return to the main phase for the first time in eight years, a feat manager Marko Nikolić described as a “dream.” UEFA has released the full schedule for the campaign, which runs from September 2026 through January 2027. AEK will play four matches at home in the Allwyn Arena against LASK, Real Madrid, Galatasaray, and AS Roma. Their away fixtures include matches against Shakhtar Donetsk (played in London), Manchester City, Como, and Borussia Dortmund. The campaign begins on September 8 against LASK and concludes on January 27 at Borussia Dortmund. To support the campaign, AEK FC has launched the “League Phase Pass,” a ticket package covering all four home matches. Season ticket holders for the 2026-2027 season have priority access to secure seats until September 4 at 11:00 AM, receiving a 25% discount compared to individual match prices. Prices for the pass range from 105 euros to 1,238 euros for Executive seats. General public sales for the pass and individual match tickets are scheduled to begin on September 4 at 4:00 PM. Regarding squad management, AEK has submitted its updated European roster to UEFA. The list includes three changes: Milan Vitalis, Babis Lykogiannis, and Joao Mario have been added, while Derek Kutesa, Martin Georgiev, and Dimitris Kaloskamis have been removed. The club remains open to potential transfers, though late acquisitions may only be eligible for domestic competitions. Success in the tournament carries significant weight for Greece’s UEFA coefficient, potentially helping the Greek league reach the top ten. On September 8, AEK Athens opened their campaign against Austrian side LASK. ## Claims - AEK Athens defeated Levski Sofia 4-0 in the Champions League playoff second leg. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Luka Jović scored the opening goal in the 7th or 8th minute. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The first leg between the two teams ended in a 0-0 draw. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Marco secured the 16th and final spot in the League Phase by defeating Ellas Syros in a penalty shootout. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Goalkeeper Christos Theodorakis made two crucial saves during the penalty shootout, including the final save against Nino. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Barnabas Varga scored two goals. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Razvan Marin scored a penalty in the 55th minute. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Lazaros Rota provided an assist for the first goal. (corroborated by 2 sources) - AEK Athens secured qualification for the Champions League. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Marko Nikolić is the manager of AEK Athens. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The 16 teams include 11 from the Stoiximan Super League and 5 from the Superbet League 2. (single source) - The League Phase draw is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, at 19:00 in Glyfada. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-08: AEK Athens returns to Champions League group stage AEK Athens marked their return to the UEFA Champions League group stage after twenty years with a match against LASK, featuring Hungarian players Barnabás Varga and Milán Vitális. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/aek-athens-returns-to-champions-league-group-stage ### 2026-09-01: AEK FC launches Champions League League Phase Pass AEK FC has launched the ‘League Phase Pass’ for its four Champions League home matches against LASK, Real Madrid, Galatasaray, and AS Roma, offering discounts to season ticket holders. 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/aek-fc-releases-champions-league-league-phase-pass ### 2026-08-27: AEK Athens confirms Champions League League Phase schedule AEK Athens has confirmed its Champions League League Phase schedule, featuring matches against Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund from September 2026 to January 2027. 16 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/aek-athens-champions-league-schedule-and-advancement-probabilities-announced ### 2026-08-24: AEK Athens qualifies for Champions League League Phase AEK Athens qualified for the Champions League League Phase after a 4-0 win over Levski Sofia. They face giants like Real Madrid and Manchester City in the new tournament format. 141 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/aek-athens-and-levski-sofia-face-off-in-champions-league-playoff-rematch ### 2026-08-19: Botev Plovdiv releases tickets for Levski Sofia derby Botev Plovdiv has released ticket details for their upcoming derby against Levski Sofia, scheduled for August 29 at the Hristo Botev Stadium. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/botev-plovdiv-releases-tickets-for-levski-sofia-derby --- Cite as: AEK Athens prepares for Champions League League Phase. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/levski-sofia-football-club-match-developments