The 2010–11 season was the 87th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 52nd consecutive season in the top flight of Greek football. They competed in the Super League, the Greek Cup and the UEFA Europa League. The season began on 19 August 2010 and finished on 25 May 2011.

Kits

Overview

The season started without much hope for AEK, as it seemed that they were not able of claiming the championship. Many new players came with the most important being Papa Bouba Diop, along with the return of Dellas and Liberopoulos. There were also quite a few departures, with those of Majstorović and Manduca standing out. Dušan Bajević remained at the wheel of the club.

The Europa League group stage was vital for AEK, as they had not had a good start to the season. In a "convenient" draw for AEK, they came against the Scottish Dundee United. At Tannadice Park AEK, despite their mediocre performance, came away with the win, with a quick goal early in the match. Before the rematch, strange things happened with AEK even being at risk of being zeroed by UEFA. Initially, the possibility of hosting the game at the Olympic Stadium was ruled out, due to the upcoming concert of U2 at the stadium and the error in the maintenance of the pitch, with the turf coming off with the slightest touch. In the search for a stadium for the match, they ended up at the Nea Smyrni Stadium, but the incomprehensible and complex behavior of the ultras of Panionios, who as soon as they learned that their team's ground was chosen, invaded their own stadium at night and caused damages by digging up the pitch, cutting the posts and destroying the irrigation system, making it unfit for a match. In the midst of a heavy atmosphere in AEK and the HFF, Olympiacos, through their vice-president Giannis Moralis, proposed the Karaiskakis Stadium, with the condition that AEK would not print tickets for the game, with the presence of only the Dundee fans in the stadium. Thus, AEK played away from their home, as if they were punished, losing significant income, without being responsible for any of this. Under these circumstances, AEK started strongly the match and scored in the first half. Bajević then decided to experiment with the players during the second half, with the team's performance dropping increasingly and the Scots going up front and taking advantage of AEK's indifference, they equalized and needed just a goal to qualify, which eventually never came. AEK were drawn in Group G along with Zenit Saint Petersburg, Anderlecht and Hajduk Split, where they were eliminated on a draw with Anderlecht, after losing their last game to Zenit, finishing third.

In the league, they started tragically with many defeats in the first 4 matches that led to the removal of Dušan Bajević and the hiring Manolo Jiménez from Sevilla. The new coach started with an emphatic 0–4 against Aris and a victory over Panathinaikos, but the defeat by Panionios the following matchday, ended any hopes of recovery. The rest of the first round was mediocre, as only the victory over Olympiacos stood out. In December, the team moved to their new training complex in Spata. The winter transfer window was disrupted by the free transfer of Djebbour to Olympiacos, after a collision with the coach, while the team were strengthened by the loans of Mateos from Real Madrid and Míchel from Birmingham City, as well as the transfer of Baha from Málaga. The effort in the second half of the season was focused on the cup, as a result of which AEK suffering heavy defeats by Olympiacos Volos with 0–4, a match for which suspicions were circulated about AEK football players being fixed, and by Olympiacos with 6–0. The 4–0 victory over PAOK was not enough to make amends and at the end of regular period, AEK finished in 3rd place.

In the play-offs, AEK started well in the first matches, but in the following games they faced hostile refereeing and the results were not as good. After the match at Panthessaliko Stadium, the president of Olympiacos Volos, Achilleas Beos, who was punished, entered the teams' locker room. Thus, AEK filed an objection citing Beos' illegal entry into the field of play. The disciplinary committee of the league accepted the facts, but rejected the objection, considering that the locker room is not a playing field. In the last game, the indifferent AEK were defeated by Panathinaikos and finished 3rd in the play-offs.

In the cup, AEK eliminated Panthrakikos with an imposing 1–5 and then AEL with 0–4 at their new stadium. The next opponent were Panathinaikos, who welcomed AEK to Olympic Stadium. Nikos Liberopoulos scored twice against his former club and AEK completely dominating the second half did not let their opponent react, with the final 0–2 showing that the qualification cas had been decided. In the rematch, at the side of AEK they expected an easy night to celebrate the qualification to the semi-finals of the institution, especially after the goal from Lagos at the beginning of the match. However Panathinaikos did not give up, equalizing in the 21st minute with Cissé and at the end of the half, they took the lead with Gilberto Silva. Then, the greens continuing offensively, made it 1–3 with Vyntra, getting a qualification score. The ultras of AEK, distraught, invaded the pitch, interrupting the game. With the restart, AEK pressed hard and in the 8th and last minute of stoppage time, won a foul in the center of the field. With all the players of the yellow-blacks, including the goalkeeper, at the opposite area, Míchel attempted something between a long cross and a shot and with Karnezis out of position, he scored an incredible goal and gave AEK the qualification! In the semi-finals, AEK and PAOK faced each other with the first match at the Olympic Stadium finishing 0–0. In the rematch of the Toumba Stadium, AEK imposed the game they wanted and at the beginning of the second half, they made it 0–1 with a header from Dellas. In the 59th minute, a flare from the gate of the ultras of PAOK hit Saja, but the game continued as normal, until the 89th minute, when the ultras of PAOK invaded the field, chasing the players of AEK. The game was interrupted and the players of yellow-blacks eventually agreed to enter the pitch in order to finish the match formally and protect PAOK from severe punishment. Thus, AEK faced Atromitos in the final at the Olympic Stadium. In the game, the yellow-blacks did not start well, but then they gained control with Scocco as their main protagonist, where from a cross of his, Liberopoulos made it 0–1 with a header from an offside position. The game then became a stalemate, with Scocco leaving injured, but AEK managed to take the control of the match and score 2 more goals with Baha and Kafes. From that point on, AEK ultras formed a cordon around the pitch and at a referee's whistle stormed in to celebrate with the game ending without all the minutes of stoppage time being played. This was followed by the inexplicable incidents caused by the ultras of AEK, who were forcefully trying to attack the fans of Atromitos, clashing with the riot police inside the stadium.

Management team

Players

Squad information

NOTE: The players are the ones that have been announced by the AEK Athens' press release. No edits should be made unless a player arrival or exit is announced. Updated 25 May 2011, 23:59 UTC+3.

No.PlayerNat.Position(s)Date of birth (Age)SignedPrevious clubTransfer feeContract until Goalkeepers 22 Giannis Arabatzis GK 2002 Enosi Apostolou Pavlou €22,000 2013 23 Sebastián Saja GK 2008 San Lorenzo Free 2012 27 Milan Lukač GK 2009 Čukarički €300,000 2012 28 Theodoros Moschonas GK 2009 AEK Athens U20 — 2011 Defenders 3 Cristian Nasuti CB 2010 River Plate €130,000 2011 4 Kostas Manolas CB / RB 2009 Thrasyvoulos €50,000 2012 5 Traianos Dellas (Vice-captain 2) CB 2010 Anorthosis Famagusta Free 2011 6David Mateos CB 2011 Real Madrid €80,000 2011 8 Sanel Jahić CB / RB / DM / LB 2009 Aris €590,000 2013 13 Claudio Dadómo LB / LM 2010 Cerro Free 2012 15 Nikolaos Karabelas LB / LM 2009 Aris Free 2013 17 Anestis Argyriou RB / CB / DM / RM 2010 Panthrakikos €250,000 2014 26 Dino Drpić CB 2011 Free agent Free 2011 31 Nikolaos Georgeas (Vice-captain 3) RB / LB / DM 2001 Kalamata €1,500,000 2012 92 Michalis Tsamourlidis LB 2010 AEK Athens U20 — 2011 Midfielders 1 Pantelis Kafes (Captain) CM / DM / AM / RM / LM 2007 Olympiacos Free 2012 7 Roger Guerreiro AM / CM / LM / LW / SS 2009 Legia Warsaw €250,000 2013 11 Míchel CM / AM / DM 2011 Birmingham City €175,000 2011 14 Grigoris Makos DM / CM / CB 2009 Panionios €860,000 2014 19 Panagiotis Lagos LM / LW / LB / CM / DM 2006 Iraklis €900,000 2013 21 Papa Bouba Diop DM / CM 2010 Portsmouth €300,000 2012 25 Lefteris Intzoglou DM / CM / RM 2010 Vyzas Megara Free 2011 90 Savvas Gentsoglou DM / CB / CM 2006 AEK Athens U20 — 2014 Forwards 9 Leonardo LW / AM / LM / RW / RM / SS 2009 Levadiakos €700,000 2014 18 Ismael Blanco ST / SS 2008 Colón €850,000 2011 20 Éder SS / ST / RW / AM 2010 Flamengo €150,000 2011 24 Nathan Burns RW / SS / ST / LW / AM 2008 Adelaide United €450,000 2012 29 Georgios Nikoltsis ST / SS 2010 AEK Athens U20 — 2013 32 Ignacio Scocco SS / LW / AM / ST / LM / RW / RM 2008 UNAM €1,500,000 2013 33 Nikos Liberopoulos (Vice-captain) SS / ST / AM 2010 Eintracht Frankfurt Free 2011 39 Nabil Baha ST / SS / AM 2011 Málaga Free 2011 77 Victor Klonaridis SS / LW / RW / LM / RM / ST / AM / CM 2010 AEK Athens U20 — 2012 93 Dimitris Froxylias LW / AM / LM / RM / CM 2010 AEK Athens U20 — 2013 99 Serxhio Abdurahmani ST / SS / RW 2011 AEK Athens U20 — 2015 Left during Winter Transfer Window 2 Christos Patsatzoglou RB / DM / CB / CM 2010 Omonia Free 2011 35 Stamatis Kalamiotis RB / CB 2010 AEK Athens U20 — 2012 88 Carlos Araujo RB / RM 2009 Huracán Free 2012 10 Rafik Djebbour ST / SS / RW / LW 2008 Panionios €3,200,000 2011

Transfers

In

Summer

PlayerFromFeeDateContract UntilSource2 OmoniaFree transfer30 June 20115 Anorthosis FamagustaFree transfer30 June 201113 CerroFree transfer30 June 201217 Panthrakikos€250,00030 June 201421 Portsmouth€300,00030 June 201224 KerkyraLoan return30 June 201225 Vyzas MegaraFree transfer30 June 201128 ElpidoforosLoan return30 June 201133 Eintracht FrankfurtFree transfer30 June 201135 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 201277 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 201292 AEK Athens U20Promotion31 December 201193 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 2013— Panthrakikos€250,00030 June 2014— Nea IoniaLoan return30 June 2010— LevanteLoan return30 June 2010— Anagennisi KarditsaLoan return30 June 2010— LillestrømLoan return30 June 2013— BeneventoFree transfer30 June 2012— Rapid BucureștiLoan return30 June 2012

Winter

PlayerFromFeeDateContract UntilSource26 Free agentFree transfer30 June 201139 MálagaFree transfer30 June 201129 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 201392 KallitheaLoan termination31 December 201199 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 2015— Olympiacos VolosLoan termination30 June 2013— Ethnikos AsterasLoan termination30 June 2011

Out

Summer

PlayerToFeeDateSource3 De GraafschapFree transfer4 Steaua BucureștiEnd of contract5 CelticContract termination6 ErgotelisEnd of contract8 Free agentEnd of contract11 APOELEnd of contract26 Free agentContract termination29 LiverpoolLoan return30 Pandurii Târgu JiuContract termination34 GenoaFree transfer87 San LorenzoLoan return— GlyfadaEnd of contract— LevanteEnd of contract— VeriaEnd of contract

Notes

a. Genoa paid €200,000 to AEK for the player's expenses.

Winter

PlayerToFeeDateSource2 PAS GianninaContract termination10 OlympiacosContract termination— ElpidoforosContract termination

Loan in

Summer

PlayerFromFeeDateUntilOption to buySource3 River Plate€130,00030 June 201120 Flamengo€150,00030 June 2011

Winter

PlayerFromFeeDateUntilOption to buySource6 Real Madrid€80,00030 June 201111 Birmingham City€175,00030 June 2011

Loan out

Summer