How AEK’s doomed 2012/2013 squad subsequently fared

In a featured article, AGONAsport takes a look at how players of the AEK team which suffered relegation in the 2012/2013 campaign have subsequently fared.

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30 matches, 27 points, 15th place. Plagued by major financial problems, AEK were left languishing in the relegation zone of the 2012/2013 Super League, five points away from safety. As we all now know, the historic organisation would soon get back up on its feet with Dimitris Melissanidis at the helm, though, becoming Greek champions just five years later while also qualifying for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.

Let’s take a look at how each player of the 2012/2013 AEK team fared after that particular season ended:

Giannis Arabatzis

The 35-year-old goalkeeper is currently on the books of Agios Nikolaos in the murky depths of Greek football. After 11 years at AEK, Arabatzis moved to Ermis in Cyprus in the summer of 2013, later representing Astra in Romania and AOK Kerkyra. Arabatzis conceded a grand total of 62 goals while registering 14 clean sheets in 49 Super League games across his career.

Dimitris Konstantopoulos

Konstantopoulos, now 41, has been a free agent since leaving Hartlepool in January. The vastly experienced goalkeeper, who has played in all three professional leagues in England below the Premier League, departed AEK for Middlesbrough after the 2012/2013 season ended and stayed there until last summer.

Theodoros Moschonas

Although he is only 29 years of age, Moschonas has already completed his playing career, having hung up his boots after the 2016/2017 campaign with Levadiakos. The former goalkeeper subsequently took the decision to move into coaching, with reports stating that he is now in the process of receiving his diplomas from UEFA. Alongside Levadiakos, Moschonas also played for Fostiras and Kallithea after leaving AEK.

Ilias Makryonitis

Just like his three fellow goalkeepers, Makryonitis left the organisation after suffering relegation to the Gamma Ethniki, transferring to Ionikos Nikaia as a free agent. Unfortunately for Makryonitis, he never took the step to the next level, spending his entire career in the lower leagues. The 31-year-old made seven appearances during the 2019/2020 season for Olympiacos Volou on loan from Ionikos.

Yago Fernandez

Following his disappointing season at AEK after signing in 2012, the Portuguese defender played for Hacken, Shakhtyor Karaganda, Oriental, La Roda and Leiria. He decided to end his professional career with the latter in August 2018 at the age of 30. 

Mavroudis Bougaidis

The 26-year-old has transformed into somewhat of a journeyman. Since leaving AEK in July 2013, the centre-back has been on the books of Recre Granada, Aris, Lechia Gdańsk, Panthrakikos, FC Chania, GAIS and Podbeskidzie, not being able to perform consistently for any of those clubs. The ex-Greece U21 player competed for Koufalia in the 2019/2020 season.

Giorgos Koutroubis

Koutroubis, 29, has held his own at elite level. In July 2013, Panathinaikos snapped Koutroubis up after spotting his potential with AEK, and the centre-back remained with the Prasini until 2018 when he opted to move abroad to Belgium with Standard Liege. Koutroubis is now playing in the Super League with OFI after a disappointing brief spell at Concordia in Romania.

Pavlos Mitropoulos

With the exception of 2016 - when he played for Akropolis in Sweden - the defensive midfielder has stayed in Greece for the whole of his career. Mitropoulos was on the books of Panetolikos, Panionios, OFI and Levadiakos after taking his leave from AEK, before the 30-year-old joined Olympiacos Volou of the Football League in January. Mitropoulos participated in four league games for the club before the season was halted as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Konstantinos Vlachos

The right-back signed for Olympiacos after the 2012/2013 season reached its completion. Vlachos didn’t make an impression in Piraeus, though, permanently leaving the Erythrolefki in 2015 as he joined Panionios. Vlachos is now playing his football with Panegialios after departing Nea Smyrni five years ago.

Konstantinos Tsoupros

Another promising defender who didn’t materialise into a Super League-level player. In the eventful seven years since he left AEK, Tsoupros has played for Magoulas, Iraklis Psachnon, AO Chalkis, Panelefsiniakos, Ialysos and Vlachioti in Greece, moving across to Cyprus in January 2020 with PO Xylotymbou. 

Anastasios Tsoumagas

The left-back was signed by AEK from Leixoes in January 2013 and remained at the Kitrinomavri until the club earned promotion to the Football League a year later. Tsoumagas, 29, has been without a team in almost 18 months after departing Edessiakos last January.

Christos Papadimitriou

Upon the completion of the 2012/2013 season, the right-back was signed by RB Leipzig, but he didn’t make a lot of progression and has continued playing in the lower leagues. After playing for Liefering, Inter Leipzig and Eintracht Trier, Papadimitriou transferred to Mauerwerk in Austria in July 2018 where he remains to this day.

Nikos Kourellas

Kourellas is a real journeyman of Greek football, playing for AO Kavala, Evros Soufliou, Agrotikos, Zakynthos, FC Chania, Kalamata and Katastariou after leaving AEK as a free agent. The left-back, 26, now plays his football with Triglia.

Giannis Kontoes

The 33-year-old defender has managed to play the game at a good level throughout his career. In January 2013, Kontoes moved from AEK to Asteras Tripolis, before the full-back was signed by Atromitos at the start of the 2014/2015 campaign. After playing with Apollon Smyrnis between 2017 and 2019, Kontoes decided to move to Romania with CFR Cluj, but he didn’t settle and was loaned to Clinceni in January.

Christos Arkoudas

The right-back has been without a club since 2015 after playing for Lamia and Atromitos.

Valentinos Vlachos

Vlachos, 28, continues to play in the Super League with Asteras Tripolis, participating in six league matches in the 2019/2020 regular season. The right-back moved to Belgium after his time at AEK, subsequently returning to Greece with Aris on loan and then moving to Panionios on a permanent deal in January 2015. Vlachos joined Asteras two years ago.

Sokratis Tsoukalas

Tsoukalas, also a right-back, has been a free agent since the summer of 2019 after departing Aspropyrgos. The 27-year-old previously turned out for Fokikos, Panserraikos, AO Chalkis, Sparti, Irakliou and Asteras Vlachioti.

Antonis Rikka

The defensive midfielder, born in France, is now playing on the beautiful island of Rhodes with AE Rodou. Rikka had also played for Red Star FC, Aiginiakos, AO Chania, Ialysos and Symi following his departure from AEK.

Dimitris Anastasopoulos

He made the move to Germany with Jahn Regensburg after the 2012/2013 season ended. Nevertheless, he didn’t remain there for long, promptly returning to Greece six months later as he penned a deal with Anagennisi Karditsa. The whereabouts of the defensive midfielder have been unknown since he left Charavgiakos in September 2018.

Xenofon Fetsis

Fetsis has played for Doxa Vyronos, Ethnikos Piraeus, Kifisia, AE Karaiskakis, Anagennisi Karditsa, Lagada, Tilykratis and Acheron Kanalakiou since leaving AEK in September 2013, and Transfermarkt states that he is still on the books of the latter. The defensive midfielder is 28.

Miguel Angel Cordero

Cordero, 32, is representing Cartagena in the third division of Spanish football. The central midfielder remained at AEK until September 2016.

Konstantinos Kotsaridis

It’s been an eventful seven years for Kotsaridis after leaving AEK in 2013. Since his days with the Enosi, the midfielder has played for Aris, Niki Volou, Gent, Ethnikos Agioneriou, Panelefsiniakos, Sparti, Digenis Oroklinis, ASIL, Giannitsa and Koufalon, and he is currently under contract at the latter. The 27-year-old notably made appearances for junior Greek national teams in the past.

Alexandros Nikolias

The 25-year-old midfielder has been a solid figure for PAS Giannina since moving to the organisation in the winter of 2016 from Olympiacos Volou. He had initially transferred to Glyfada after departing the Kitrinomavri in September 2013.

Panagiotis Lagos

Vorskla persuaded Lagos to transfer to Ukraine after AEK were demoted. In July 2014, Lagos made his return to Greece with Apollon Smyrnis, staying there until he retired two years later. The former midfielder is now 34 years of age. 

Roger Guerreiro

Although he was born in Brazil, the attacking midfielder went on to play international football for Poland, competing in 26 matches and scoring six goals for the European nation. When he left AEK, Guerreiro moved back to South America, eventually ending his career with Rio Verde-GO in July 2017. 

Giorgos Katidis

The 27-year-old has been unemployed since July 2019 when his contract with Pribram was scrapped. The controversial attacking midfielder, best known for making a Nazi gesture during his AEK days, didn’t realise his potential and endured forgettable stays at Novara, Veria, Levadiakos, Panegialios, Jaro and Olympia Praha.

Dimitris Anakoglou

Anakoglou transferred from Lamia to Panachaiki in the winter transfer window this year. Unlike the majority of players on this list, Anakoglou stayed with AEK for a further three years after relegation to the Gamma Ethniki, leaving the club in February 2016. Anakoglou played for Veria on loan in the second half of the 2015/2016 season before moving to Aris as a free agent in the summer.

Dimitris Grontis

An interesting journey from AEK to ASIL unfolded via Atromitos, Iraklis, AE Larissa, Trikala, Aittitos Spata and Ergotelis. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder has been playing in Cyprus since January this year.

Giannis Karalis

The 31-year-old winger is playing for Thyella Kamariou after changing clubs with alarming regularity. Karalis represented Kallithea, AO Chania, Lamia, Ionikos Nikaia, Ethnikos Piraeus, Stylidas and Aspropyrgos before joining Theylla in July 2019.

Antonis Petropoulos

Now 34 years of age, the forward is approaching the end of his career, but he is still playing the game with Ethnikos Piraeus in the lower leagues. Ethnikos is the ninth club which Petropoulos has played for since leaving AEK.

Nikos Katsikokeris

The 31-year-old striker competed in the Football League with OFI Ierapetra in the 2019/2020 season. Another journeyman, Katsikokeris previously played for Panthrakikos, Panegialios, Panargiakos, Ermis Zonianon, Ergotelis, Ethnikos Piraeus and AO Episkopi.

Jose Emilio Furtado

The experienced Portuguese forward is still in Greece with Panegialios. Furtado, 37, competed for Poli Timișoara, Panserraikos, Anagennisi Derynias, Olimpia Grudziadz and Sparti before signing for Panegialios in September 2018. He is still valued at 100,000 by Transfermarkt.

Thomas Tsitas

Tsitas, 28, is playing in the Football League with Olympiacos Volou, grabbing five goals this season. The striker played for eight different clubs after departing AEK following the completion of the 2012/2013 campaign.

Taxiarchis Fountas

What a season it’s been for the 24-year-old. Having gained a huge amount of confidence, Fountas has been unstoppable for Rapid Vienna in the Austrian Bundesliga, scoring 14 goals in just 19 games for the capital giants. Fountas had previously lost his way after unsuccessful spells at RB Salzburg, Grodig, Panionios, Asteras Tripolis, Grossaspach and St. Polten. The talented forward is in line to potentially receive a chance with the senior national team when international football returns.

Andreas Stamatis

Stamatis has played reasonably well for Trikala in the Football League this season, striking six goals and dishing out two assists in the championship. He played for seven separate teams before leaving Aris for Trikala last August.

Michalis Pavlis

Pavlis, 30, retired in 2014 as a result of health problems. He now works in the AEK organisation.

Image Source: contra.gr

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