Araujo making the derby difference
Sergio Araujo, adored by the AEK faithful, is continuing to make the difference for the Kitrinomavri in the decisive Super League derbies.
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It’s no surprise why Araujo is so well loved by the AEK supporters. During his previous two spells at the Athens-based club, the Argentine forward stood out with his determination, energy, passion and vital goals, becoming a hero for the fans in the process. In January, Araujo completed his long-awaited return to AEK as he signed on loan from Las Palmas, and the 28-year-old has enjoyed a wonderful start to his third stint in Athens.
Last weekend, Araujo inspired AEK to their maiden derby triumph since 2018, as he scored a sumptuous goal in the eighth minute to defeat Panathinaikos 1-0 at the Olympic Stadium. Incidentally, before that particular win, Araujo had played a major role in AEK’s last derby victory, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory against Panathinaikos on 1 April 2018:
The fact that AEK didn’t win a single derby without Araujo between 2018 and 2020 speaks volumes. With Araujo on the pitch, AEK are a completely different team when facing Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and PAOK, often winning and rarely losing. The goals scored by Araujo, in combination with his passionate style of playing and impressive mutual understanding with Marko Livaja, nearly always make the difference.
It all started in the 2016/2017 season. At the OAKA, Araujo secured an important 3-0 win against PAOK in the Super League regular season, opening the scoring in the first half before grabbing the third marker in the latter stages with a fantastic curling effort:
His next victim was Olympiacos. In the first leg of the Greek Cup semi-finals, Araujo registered a crucial away goal at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, connecting with Petros Mantalos’ low free-kick and subsequently beating the opposing goalkeeper with an accurate drive:
In the following season, Araujo once again put Olympiacos to the sword in the same competition, lashing an unstoppable attempt past Silvio Proto to secure AEK’s progression to the next stage of the tournament:
Taking into account that AEK still find themselves trailing league leaders Olympiacos by a huge 13 points, the playoffs are unlikely to help the Enosi challenge for the title or even a UEFA Champions League spot, however they represent a perfect opportunity for Araujo to fire the club to more derby joy. In the upcoming playoffs, AEK will face Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and PAOK again, with the Kitrinomavri looking to at least protect third place and enter the UEFA Europa League preliminary rounds.
Three rounds remain in the Super League regular season, with AEK scheduled to face Aris, OFI and Panionios. The lead over fourth-placed Panathinaikos currently stands at seven points.
AEK will be able to sign Araujo on a permanent basis in the summer for a reported fee of three million euros. Araujo himself has revealed his burning desire to remain in the Greek capital and score at the Agia Sofia Stadium, which is due to open during the 2020/2021 season. The arena is being built on the exact same spot where the Nikos Goumas Stadium once stood in Nea Filadelfeia.
