AEK returned to the Champions League after eight years, crushing Levski Sofia 4-0 in the playoff rematch at a packed Allwyn Arena.

AEK will be in the League Phase draw, scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with the Spanish newspaper AS referring to them in a feature with glowing praise for Marko Nikolić’s team.

“A new threat to the great kings of Europe. AEK Athens secured its place in the Champions League League Phase by crushing Levski Sofia, with a revitalized Luka Jović leading the way. Hungarian Varga and Croatian Mayer also stood out in an outstanding performance by the Athens team.

The season has gotten off to a perfect start for Jović. After scoring two goals in the league opener, it took him just 7 minutes to put the team on track for Champions League qualification with a spectacular header worthy of a great striker. At 28 years old, the Serbian will once again have the chance to shine on Europe’s biggest stages.

AEK, however, is not just Jović. Nikolić’s team boasts a direct and dangerous style of play, particularly against teams that push their lines up and focus on physical duels. They possess enough quality and offensive firepower to pull off an upset against any opponent, while at the same time they’re not a team that easily concedes scoring chances on defense.

Balance and stability are the hallmarks of AEK, making it a force to be reckoned with in the fourth tier of competition, which now includes several teams capable of causing problems,”, AS notes characteristically about AEK.

*Photo source: KYPE