AEK's João Mário hospitalized with pneumonia ahead of Real Madrid clash

AEK midfielder João Mário has been hospitalized with pneumonia, ruling him out of the upcoming match against Real Madrid. The Portuguese player suffered from a high fever and was excluded from the squad for the recent derby against Panathinaikos. He is expected to remain in the hospital for four to five days.

Due to his hospitalization, João Mário is also likely to miss the league fixture against Levadiakos. Coach Marko Nikolić had previously noted the presence of a virus within the squad, which contributed to the midfielder's absence from the recent match where he experienced elevated temperature symptoms.

In more positive news for AEK, goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha has returned to full training after recovering from a wrist injury. The Albanian international has been sidelined for approximately two months but is now available for selection. Nikolić will decide when to reintegrate Strakosha into the starting lineup for the Greek champions.