AEK Athens — Anderlecht : Match Preview and Prediction for August 28,2025

Managerial Shift and Tactical Vision

This season, AEK Athens is under the guidance of Marko Nikolic, who, with a heavy heart, departed CSKA Moscow immediately after their Russian Cup triumph. Known as the ‘diamond builder’ for his work with the army club’s youth, Nikolic quickly set about implementing a highly tenacious and defensive style of play at AEK, focusing extensively on forging strong, reliable defensive partnerships.

Recent European Form

The Serbian coach’s efforts have seen mixed results so far, yet undeniable progress is visible in this tactical approach. They navigated past Israeli side Hapoel with a low-scoring affair (1-0, 0-0), then managed to hold their ground against the aggressive attacks of Cypriot club Aris (2-2, 3-1 after extra time). Most recently, they secured the best possible outcome – a 1-1 draw – against Anderlecht, largely focusing on disrupting the ‘Purple and White’ attacks rather than creating many chances themselves.

Key Moments and Squad News

Remarkably, in Brussels, the Athenians equalized just 15 minutes from time, despite subsequently receiving a red card for experienced midfielder Mantalos (who accumulated two yellow cards), still managing to hold on. Following this, AEK commenced their Super League campaign successfully last weekend, securing a 2-0 home victory against Panserraikos. They established their lead within the first half-hour through goals from Mantalos and Zini, then avoided unnecessary risks ahead of the crucial return leg against the Belgians. For the upcoming match, the hosts will be without the suspended Mantalos, Pereira, and unregistered new signings such as Martial, Jovic, and Gacinovic.

Hasi’s Return and Motivational Approach

Anderlecht is currently managed by Besnik Hasi, a familiar face who previously coached the team and also spent a portion of his playing career there. The Albanian tactician is primarily recognized as a strong motivator and mentor, adept at inspiring his players to give their absolute all, though this commitment doesn’t always align with the overall quality of the players at his disposal.

Domestic and European Campaign So Far

This season, Anderlecht retains a squad that is reasonably experienced and capable, yet suffers from inconsistency. Nevertheless, they have had a decent start in the Jupiler League, securing three victories in their initial four matches. In European qualifiers prior to facing AEK, they were eliminated by Hacken (1-0, 1-2, losing on penalties) in the Europa League qualification, but then successfully overcame Moldovan side Sheriff (3-0, 1-1).

Away Form and Team Absences

At home, the team enjoyed a dominant performance but struggled to convert their chances into goals. However, at the OPAP Arena, the ‘Purple and White’ must be prepared for the intense atmosphere from the stands and be ready to execute a counter-attacking strategy. So far, their away performances in this European campaign have been less than stellar (a 1-2 loss to Hacken and a 1-1 draw with Sheriff attest to this). For the match against AEK, the visitors will be without Sardella and Camara.