The 2011–12 season was the 88th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 53rd 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 18 August 2011 and finished on 20 May 2012.
Kits
Overview
AEK had entered the darkest period of their history and this season the first signs of dissolution began to be clearly visible. The shareholders of the club had withdrawn from the financing and the team was drowning in debt, since it could not meet its financial obligations. The team started the season without particular expectations and in the transfer market the departures of Ignacio Scocco, Ismael Blanco and Papa Bouba Diop stood out, while the international Colombian midfielder, Fabián Vargas and the Icelandic international star, Eiður Guðjohnsen were among the arrivals.
In the Europa League, AEK were drawn with the Georgian Dinamo Tbilisi, with qualification being the only way, since the team's finances were in a very bad state. In the first match at the Olympic Stadium, the yellow-blacks missed several chances, until José Carlos redeemed the team in the last minutes of the match, making the final 1–0. In the replay at the Boris Paichadze National Stadium, AEK entered the match badly and conceded a goal in the first minute, but then recovered and the match eventually went to the extra time. In the first twenty minutes of extra time nothing happened, but in the 110th minute, Guðjohnsen was tackled inside the area and the referee indicated a penalty, where Leonardo converted into a goal, shaping the final 1–1, which gave AEK the qualification. In the group stage, AEK were drawn along with Anderlecht, Lokomotiv Moscow and Sturm Graz and after a teribble run with 5 consecutive defeats, all they managed was to finish third on the tie, with their only victory in an indifferent game in the last matchday.
In the championship, AEK started with some victories, but the heavy defeat at Toumba Stadium made difficult the position of the then expensive for the financial situation of the team, Manolo Jiménez. After the team's victory at Nea Smyrni in the following matchday, and after pressure, Jiménez eventually left, giving away his compensation. In his place, Nikos Kostenoglou returned to take over the team. The team continued their mediocre appearances with the team's game largely dependent on Leonardo's performance. In the Cup, AEK eliminated Kalamata in the Round of 32, but were eliminated by PAOK in the very next round. The end of the regular season found the team in the fifth place, with several hopes of finishing higher in the play-offs. In the play-offs that followed, AEK surprisingly stood decently, losing all away games and winning all home games. Finally, they finished 2nd in the relevant standings, getting a ticket for the Europa league play-off round, but losing the ticket for the Champions League in the last matchday. However the entrance in the UEFA competitions was the least of their problems, as the club was struggling financially and the situation was getting worse year by year.
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 20 May 2012, 23:59 UTC+3.
No.PlayerNat.Position(s)Date of birth (Age)SignedPrevious clubTransfer feeContract until Goalkeepers 23 Dimitrios Konstantopoulos GK 2011 Kerkyra €75,000 2013 28 Theodoros Moschonas GK 2009 AEK Athens U20 — 2013 99 Giannis Arabatzis GK 2002 Enosi Apostolou Pavlou €22,000 2013 Defenders 2 Giannis Kontoes CB / RB / LB / DM 2011 Panionios Free 2014 3 Elfar Freyr Helgason CB 2011 Breiðablik €100,000 2014 4 Kostas Manolas CB / RB 2009 Thrasyvoulos €50,000 2012 5 Traianos Dellas (Vice-captain 2) CB 2010 Anorthosis Famagusta Free 2012 15 Nikolaos Karabelas LB / LM 2009 Aris Free 2013 16 Anestis Argyriou RB / CB / DM / RM 2010 Panthrakikos €250,000 2014 31 Nikolaos Georgeas (Vice-captain 3) RB / LB / DM 2001 Kalamata €1,500,000 2012 47 Mavroudis Bougaidis CB / LB 2011 Aris Free 2014 66 Nikos Englezou LB / LM / LW / DM 2011 AEK Athens U20 — 2014 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 10 José Carlos AM / RM / LM / RW / LW / SS 2011 Sevilla Free 2012 13 Antonis Rikka DM / CM 2008 Skoda Xanthi €600,000 2013 14 Grigoris Makos DM / CM / CB 2009 Panionios €860,000 2014 17 Paul Katsetis AM / CM 2011 Blacktown City Free 2014 19 Panagiotis Lagos LM / LW / LB / CM / DM 2006 Iraklis €900,000 2013 21 Fabián Vargas DM / CM 2011 Almería Free 2012 88 Taxiarchis Fountas AM / SS / ST / RM / LM / CM / RW / LW 2011 AEK Athens U20 Free 2014 Forwards 8 Steve Leo Beleck SS / ST / RW / LW / RM / LM 2011 Udinese €100,000 2012 9 Leonardo LW / AM / LM / RW / RM / SS 2009 Levadiakos €700,000 2014 11 Dimitris Sialmas RW / LW / SS / RM / LM / ST 2011 PAS Giannina Free 2013 12 Thomas Tsitas ST 2011 Iraklis Free 2014 22 Eiður Guðjohnsen SS / ST / AM / RW / LW / CM 2011 Stoke City Free 2013 33 Nikos Liberopoulos (Vice-captain) SS / ST / AM 2010 Eintracht Frankfurt Free 2012 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 Left during Winter Transfer Window 6 Cala CB / RB / DM 2011 Sevilla Free 2012 92 Sokratis Tsoukalas RB / LB 2011 Palermo Free 2014 90 Savvas Gentsoglou DM / CB / CM 2006 AEK Athens U20 — 2014 24 Nathan Burns RW / SS / ST / LW / AM 2008 Adelaide United €450,000 2012
Transfers
In
Summer
PlayerFromFeeDateContract UntilSource2 PanioniosFree transfer30 June 20143 Breiðablik€100,00030 June 201410 SevillaFree transfer30 June 201211 PAS GianninaFree transfer30 June 201312 IraklisFree transfer30 June 201417 Blacktown CityFree transfer30 June 201421 AlmeríaFree transfer30 June 201222 Stoke CityFree transfer30 June 201323 Kerkyra€75,00030 June 201347 ArisFree transfer30 June 201466 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 201488 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 201492 PalermoFree transfer30 June 2014— Anagennisi KarditsaLoan return30 June 2014— Niki VolosLoan return30 June 2012https://www.novasports.gr/sport/podosfairo/event/ellada-g-ethniki/article/987081/efyge-o-kalamiwtis/— KavalaFree transfer30 June 2015— LanúsLoan return30 June 2012— KerkyraLoan return30 June 2013— ThrasyvoulosLoan return30 June 2011— PanathinaikosFree transfer30 June 2013— OFILoan return30 June 2011
Winter
PlayerFromFeeDateContract UntilSource93 FokikosLoan termination30 June 2013— Niki VolosLoan termination30 June 2013
Out
Summer
PlayerToFeeDateSource3 River PlateLoan return6 Real MadridLoan return8 APOELContract termination11 Birmingham CityLoan return13 ErgotelisFree transfer18 San LuisEnd of contract20 FlamengoLoan return21 West HamContract termination23 Racing ClubContract termination25 AtromitosEnd of contract26 Free agentEnd of contract27 BeogradEnd of contract32 Al Ain€2,800,00039 SabadellEnd of contract92 GlyfadaContract termination— PanetolikosEnd of contract— LanúsFree transfer— Ethnikos AsterasEnd of contract— OFIEnd of contract
Winter
PlayerToFeeDateSource6 SevillaLoan termination24 Incheon UnitedFree transfer90 SampdoriaFree transfer— FokikosContract termination
Notes
a. Sevilla paid €110,000 for the loan termination.
Loan in
Summer
PlayerFromFeeDateUntilOption to buySource6 SevillaFree30 June 20128 Udinese€100,00030 June 2012
Loan out
Summer
PlayerToFeeDateUntilOption to buySource29 FokikosFree30 June 201293 FokikosFree30 June 201299 Niki VolosFree30 June 2012— DiagorasFree30 June 2012— ThrasyvoulosFree30 June 2012— ThrasyvoulosFree30 June 2012— GlyfadaFree30 June 2012— GlyfadaFree30 June 2012
Winter
PlayerToFeeDateUntilOption to buySource92 Apollon SmyrnisFree30 June 2012
Contract renewals
PlayerDateFormer Exp. DateNew Exp. DateSource5 30 June 201130 June 201228 30 June 201130 June 201333 30 June 201130 June 2012— 30 June 201230 June 2013
Overall transfer activity
Expenditure Summer: €275,000
Winter: €0
Total: €275,000
Income Summer: €2,800,000
Winter: €0
Total: €2,800,000
Net Totals Summer: €2,525,000
Winter: €0
Total: €2,525,000
Pre-season and friendlies
Competitions
Overall record
Super League Greece
Regular season
League table
Results summary
Results by Matchday
Matches
Play-offs
Table
Results summary
Results by Matchday
Matches
Greek Cup
Matches
UEFA Europa League
Play-off round The draw for the play-off round was held on 5 August 2011.
Group stage
The draw for the group stage was held on 26 August 2011.
Matches
Statistics
Squad statistics
! colspan="15" style="background:#FFDE00; text-align:center" | Goalkeepers
! colspan="15" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Defenders
! colspan="15" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Midfielders
! colspan="15" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Forwards
! colspan="15" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Left during Winter Transfer Window
Goalscorers
The list is sorted by competition order when total goals are equal, then by position and then by squad number. RankPlayerSuper LeagueSuper League Play-offsGreek CupEuropa LeagueTotal19 9 1 0 313233 7 3 0 01038 5 0 1 06477 3 1 0 15511 2 0 0 2410 1 1 0 24714 1 1 0 024 1 0 0 1296 1 0 0 0121 1 0 0 011 1 0 0 0122 1 0 0 0124 0 0 0 11Own goals 3 0 0 14Totals36 7 11155
Assists
The list is sorted by competition order when total assists are equal, then by position and then by squad number. RankPlayerSuper LeagueSuper League Play-offsGreek CupEuropa LeagueTotal110 5 0 0 059 3 0 0 257 3 0 0 2548 3 0 0 0351 2 0 0 0219 2 0 0 0277 2 0 0 0233 2 0 0 0222 0 1 0 121088 1 0 0 0124 0 0 0 11Totals23 1 0 630
Clean sheets
The list is sorted by competition order when total clean sheets are equal and then by squad number. Clean sheets in games where both goalkeepers participated are awarded to the goalkeeper who started the game. Goalkeepers with no appearances are not included. RankPlayerSuper LeagueSuper League Play-offsGreek CupEuropa LeagueTotal199 7 0 1 0823 5 2 0 18Totals12 2 1 116
Disciplinary record
! colspan="20" style="background:#FFDE00; text-align:center" | Goalkeepers
! colspan="20" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Defenders
! colspan="20" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Midfielders
! colspan="20" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Forwards
! colspan="20" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Left during Winter Transfer window
Starting 11 This section presents the most frequently used formation along with the players with the most starts across all competitions.
Formation Matchday(s)234–2–3–11, 5, 7, 10–20, 22, 25, 26, 29164–3–38, 9, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 3044–4–23, 634–4–2 (D)2, 4
Player 99Giannis ArabatzisGK4Kostas ManolasRCB2Giannis KontoesLCB31Nikolaos GeorgeasRB3Nikolaos KarabelasLB14Grigoris MakosDM1Pantelis Kafes (C)CM8Steve Leo BeleckRM9LeonardoLM10José CarlosAM33Nikos LiberopoulosCF
Awards PlayerAwardSource Leonardo FW MVP Award (1st Matchday) Fabián Vargas MF Best Goal Award (3rd Matchday) Dimitrios Sialmas FW Best Goal Award (16th Matchday)
References
External links AEK Athens F.C. Official Website A.E.K. FC Database