Mourinho hails Morocco’s Brahim Diaz after decisive assist in Real Madrid’s Champions League victory

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has praised Moroccan international Brahim Diaz for his decisive contribution in Wednesday’s 3-2 Champions League victory over AEK Athens.

Diaz came off the bench in the 81st minute to replace Vinicius Junior before providing the assist for Federico Valverde’s stoppage-time winner, helping the Spanish giants secure their fourth consecutive victory in the competition.

The Moroccan midfielder’s impact earned recognition from Mourinho, who highlighted the importance of his substitutes in a difficult encounter in Athens.

“On the left side, Carreras and Brahim were important in the last 10 minutes of the match,” Mourinho said.

Diaz inspires late Real Madrid winner

Real Madrid endured a challenging evening after falling behind twice against AEK Athens.

Aboubakary Koita opened the scoring for the hosts in the 12th minute before Jude Bellingham restored parity for Madrid in the 32nd minute.

AEK regained the lead through Stavros Pilios in the 75th minute, but Kylian Mbappe responded three minutes later to bring the visitors level again.

With the contest heading towards its closing stages, Mourinho introduced Diaz and Alvaro Carreras to strengthen Madrid’s attacking threat from the left.

The changes proved decisive as Diaz moved inside and delivered the assist for Valverde, who struck powerfully from outside the penalty area in the second minute of stoppage time to complete Madrid’s comeback.

Mourinho explains impact of Moroccan midfielder

Mourinho was particularly pleased with the influence of his substitutes, explaining how both Diaz and Carreras helped Madrid find a late breakthrough.

The Portuguese coach noted that Carreras had won two corners, while Diaz’s movement into central areas created the opportunity for Valverde’s decisive strike.

He also expressed satisfaction with the quality and depth of his squad, highlighting the attacking options available to him when matches become difficult.

Real Madrid maintain perfect Champions League record

The victory extends Real Madrid’s winning run in the Champions League league phase to four matches, leaving them with a maximum of 12 points.

For Diaz, the assist further underlines his ability to make an impact even when introduced from the bench, strengthening his case for a more prominent role in Mourinho’s plans.

Real Madrid will return to Champions League action on November 24 when they host PSV Eindhoven.