The 2016–17 season was the 93rd season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 56th competitive season and second consecutive in the top flight of Greek football. They competed in the Super League, the Greek Cup and the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League. The season began on 28 July 2016 and finished on 31 May 2017.
Kits
Overview In the summer of 2016, AEK after searching for a new manager they ended up with their former player, Temur Ketsbaia. The team made some great additions, such as the former Barcelona defender, Dmytro Chyhrynskyi, the former English international defender, Joleon Lescott, Patito Rodriguez and the international Portuguese striker, Hugo Almeida, while from the Greek market they were strengthened with the talented Vasilis Barkas and Anastasios Bakasetas. In the departures, those of Arzo, Cordero, Buonanotte and Djebbour stood out, while after the end of the European games Barbosa departed as well and was immediately replaced by the Greek international, Lazaros Christodoulopoulos.
Winning the Cup the previous season brought AEK back to European competitions and the third qualifying round of the Europa League, where they were unlucky to be drawn with French side Saint-Étienne. In the first leg at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, AEK fought the game to a 0–0 draw, while in the second leg at the Olympic Stadium, they conceded an early goal and they were eliminated, unable to do anything, since the French kept the score until the end by playing defensively.
AEK started the league well, but their defensive playing style, resulted in facing difficulties in scoring goals and dropped points in easy games. A 3–0 away defeat by Olympiacos, eventually led in the termination of the contract of Ketsbaia. In the attempt to find a manager with an offensive philosophy, the management proceeded in hiring the Portuguese José Morais, the former assistant of José Mourinho in several clubs, but without much experience as a manager. With Morais on the bench, the team presented themselves trying to play offensively, leaving their defense open and conceded goals with ease, not being able to impose themselves on their opponents. Thus, AEK were left far behind in the league, bringing bad results and Morais not being able to manage the situation, resigned from the team's bench in January. The removal of the Portuguese manager resulted in the return of Manolo Jimenez, who had won the 2011 Cup with AEK. With the club having already signed Astrit Ajdarevic and the Bosnian international defender Ognjen Vranjes, who came in to replace Lescott, who was released after disagreements with management over his treatment from an injury, were also strengthened with Vinicius Freitas and most importrantly with the loan of the great Argentinian striker, Sergio Araujo from Las Palmas. Under Jimenez, AEK managed to cover the lost ground, finishing the championship at the fourth place, with only 1 defeat in 3 months and thus advanced to the play-offs.
In the Cup , AEK after being the first to pass their group with their opponents Kerkyra, Anagennisi Karditsa and Lamia, easily eliminated Levadiakos for the round of 16 and then Platanias to advance to the semi-finals. There they met Olympiacos and in the first match at Karaiskakis Stadium they got a big win with 1–2. In the rematch at the Olympic Stadium, AEK having a qualifying score controlled the game, but a mistake by Mantalos in the midfield brought the ball into the possession of Romao who scored from an advantageous position. From there the game took off with the red and whites pressing in an episodic match that ended with Almeida playing as goalkeeper in stoppage time, after the suspension of Anestis and AEK eventually snatching a stressful qualification. AEK were in the final for a second consecutive season, where they faced PAOK, who didn't want the final to be held at the Olympic Stadium and made an issue of the venue of the final. In the end, a solution was found with the final taking place at Panthessaliko Stadium, which was turned into a construction site in order to ensure security measures, which however proved ineffective, as violent incidents between the ultras of the two clubs took place inside and outside the stadium. In the match, AEK, who faced a hostile referee, were left behind in the score, but managed to equalize immediately and towards the end of the match, PAOK regained their lead from an obvious offside position and made the final 2–1, claiming their first title after 14 years.
In the play-offs, AEK initially took their revenge for the lost Cup final by winning 0–1 at Toumba Stadium and after an impressive run managed to take the first place in the relevant standings that led to the Champions League, with a win in the final matchday and thus finishing second in the league.
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 31 May 2017, 23:59 UTC+3.
No.PlayerNat.Position(s)Date of birth (Age)SignedPrevious clubTransfer feeContract until Goalkeepers 1 Vasilis Barkas GK 2016 Atromitos €600,000 2019 16 Ilias Vouras GK 2013 Niki Volos Free 2017 22 Giannis Anestis GK 2014 Panionios Free 2018 87 Giannis Papadopoulos GK 2016 AEK Athens U20 — 2020 Defenders 4 Ognjen Vranješ CB / RB 2016 Tom Tomsk Free 2019 5 Vasilios Lampropoulos CB / RB 2016 Panionios Free 2019 12 Rodrigo Galo RB / RM / RW / LB 2015 Paços de Ferreira Free 2019 17 Vinícius Freitas LB / LM / LW 2017 Lazio Free 2019 19 Dmytro Chyhrynskyi CB 2016 Dnipro Free 2018 23 Dídac Vilà LB / LM 2015 Milan Free 2018 24 Konstantinos Manolas LB / CB / DM 2016 Levadiakos €50,000 2019 26 Dimitrios Kolovetsios (Vice-captain 3) CB / RB 2014 PAS Giannina €250,000 2017 27 Michalis Bakakis RB / LB / CB / RM 2014 Panetolikos €250,000 2019 33 Georgios Giannoutsos LB / CB / DM 2016 AEK Athens U20 — 2020 — Alkis Markopouliotis CB 2015 AEK Athens U20 — 2019 Midfielders 6 Astrit Ajdarević CM / AM / DM / ST 2016 Örebro Free 2019 8 André Simões DM / CM 2015 Moreirense Free 2019 18 Jakob Johansson (Vice-captain 2) DM / CM / CB 2014 Göteborg Free 2018 20 Petros Mantalos (Captain) AM / LM / CM / LW / SS / RM / RW 2014 Xanthi €500,000 2019 25 Konstantinos Galanopoulos CM / DM 2015 AEK Athens U20 — 2021 30 Ilias Tselios CM / AM / DM / RM 2016 AEK Athens U20 — 2020 Forwards 7 Lazaros Christodoulopoulos RW / LW / RM / LM / SS / AM / CM 2016 Hellas Verona Free 2018 9 Hugo Almeida ST 2016 Hannover 96 Free 2018 10 Ronald Vargas SS / AM / ST / LW / RM / LM 2015 Balıkesirspor Free 2017 11 Sergio Araujo ST / SS / LW / RW 2017 Las Palmas €200,000 2017 14 Tomáš Pekhart ST 2016 Ingolstadt 04 Free 2017 21 Christos Aravidis (Vice-captain) SS / ST / RW / LW / RM / LM 2014 Panionios Free 2017 28 Anastasios Bakasetas SS / AM / ST / RW / LW / RM / LM 2016 Panionios €300,000 2019 29 Patito Rodríguez LW / LM / RW / RM / SS / AM 2016 Santos Free 2018 31 Dimitrios Melikiotis ST / SS / RW / LW 2017 Veria Free 2021 40 Andreas Vlachomitros SS / ST / RW / LW 2015 AEK Athens U20 — 2019 Left during Summer Transfer Window — Hélder Barbosa LW / LM / AM / RW / RM / SS 2014 Braga Free 2017 Left during Winter Transfer Window 3 Juan Díaz LB / LM / CB 2016 Racing Free 2018 55 Adam Tzanetopoulos CB / DM / CM 2013 Niki Volos Free 2020 — Joleon Lescott CB / LB / DM 2016 Aston Villa Free 2018 — Darko Zorić SS / ST/ RW / LW / AM 2014 Čelik Nikšić €150,000 2017 — Vangelis Platellas RW / RM / LM / LW / SS / AM 2013 Xanthi Free 2016
Transfers
In
Summer
PlayerFromFeeDateContract UntilSource1 Atromitos€600,00030 June 20193 RacingFree transfer30 June 20186 Aston VillaFree transfer30 June 20187 Hellas VeronaFree transfer30 June 20189 Hannover 96Free transfer30 June 201817 Borac ČačakLoan return30 June 201719 DniproFree transfer30 June 201824 Levadiakos€50,00030 June 201928 Panionios€300,00030 June 201929 SantosFree transfer30 June 201830 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 202033 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 202087 AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 2020— KerkyraLoan return30 June 2018— TrikalaLoan return30 June 2017— VeriaLoan return30 June 2017— AEK Athens U20Promotion30 June 2019
Winter
PlayerFromFeeDateContract UntilSource4 Tom TomskFree transfer30 June 20196 ÖrebroFree transfer30 June 201917 LazioFree transfer30 June 201931 VeriaFree transfer30 June 202140 Javor IvanjicaLoan return30 June 2019— A.E. KifisiaLoan return30 June 2020
Out
Summer
PlayerToFeeDateSource1 CaracasLoan return2 OmoniaFree transfer4 KairatFree transfer6 GimnàsticContract termination7 Al Wasl€750,00012 Free agentEnd of contract15 XanthiFree transfer19 ArisEnd of contract30 Universidad CatólicaContract termination33 Free agentEnd of contract36 Manchester CityLoan return99 ReusContract termination— IraklisContract termination— Free agentContract termination— ArisContract termination
Winter
PlayerToFeeDateSource3 Free agentContract termination6 SunderlandContract termination11 AtromitosContract termination17 ČukaričkiContract termination— Triglia RafinasContract termination
Loan in
Winter
PlayerFromFeeDateUntilOption to buySource11 Las Palmas €200,00030 June 2017
Loan out
Summer
PlayerToFeeDateUntilOption to buySource2 Veria Free 30 June 201713 Kallithea Free 30 June 201724 Javor IvanjicaFree 31 December 2016— A.E. KifisiaFree 11 January 2017— A.E. KifisiaFree 30 June 2017
Winter
PlayerToFeeDateUntilOption to buySource55 Iraklis Free 30 June 2016
Contract renewals
PlayerDateFormer Exp. DateNew Exp. DateSource5 30 June 201730 June 201912 30 June 201730 June 201913 30 June 201730 June 201925 30 June 201830 June 202127 30 June 201730 June 2019
Overall transfer activity
Expenditure Summer: €950,000
Winter: €200,000
Total: €1,150,000
Income Summer: €750,000
Winter: €0
Total: €750,000
Net Totals Summer: €200,000
Winter: €200,000
Total: €400,000
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
Group F
Matches
Group stage
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
UEFA Europa League
Third qualifying round The draw for the third qualifying round was held on 15 July 2016.
Statistics
Squad statistics
! colspan="13" style="background:#FFDE00; text-align:center" | Goalkeepers
! colspan="13" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Defenders
! colspan="13" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Midfielders
! colspan="13" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Forwards
! colspan="13" style="background:#FFDE00; color:black; text-align:center;"| Left during Summer Transfer Window
! colspan="13" 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 LeagueTotal114 9 0 3 012211 4 1 4 09320 7 1 0 0847 4 1 2 07528 3 1 2 0669 4 0 0 0429 3 0 1 04821 3 0 0 0323 2 1 0 0310 2 0 1 0325 2 0 1 0312 5 2 0 0 02— 2 0 0 02148 1 0 0 016 1 0 0 0119 1 0 0 014 1 0 0 0118 0 0 1 0112 0 0 1 0126 0 0 1 0117 0 0 1 01Own goals 2 0 1 03Totals53 519 077
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 LeagueTotal120 5 2 3 01027 5 1 0 0629 5 0 1 0610 4 0 2 06512 2 0 1 0318 2 0 1 0311 1 1 1 03823 2 0 0 026 1 0 1 021014 1 0 0 014 0 0 1 01— 0 0 1 0131 0 0 1 0117 0 0 1 01Totals28 414 046
Clean sheets