Club: | AEK Athens |
Season: | 2002–03 |
Manager: | Dušan Bajević |
Mgrtitle: | Manager |
Chairman: | Charilaos Psomiadis (until 22 January) Giannis Granitsas |
Chrtitle: | Chairman |
League: | Alpha Ethniki |
League Result: | 3rd |
Cup1: | Greek Cup |
Cup1 Result: | Semi-finals |
Cup2: | UEFA Champions League |
Cup2 Result: | Group stage |
Cup3: | UEFA Cup |
Cup3 Result: | Round of 16 |
League Topscorer: | Demis Nikolaidis (12) |
Season Topscorer: | Demis Nikolaidis (16) |
Highest Attendance: | 19,775 vs Genk (30 October 2002) |
Lowest Attendance: | 69 vs Kassandra (11 September 2002) |
Average Attendance: | 6,296 |
Largest Loss: | |
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Prevseason: | 2001–02 |
Nextseason: | 2003–04 |
The 2002–03 season was the 79th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 44th consecutive season in the top flight of Greek football. They competed in the Alpha Ethniki, the Greek Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The season began on 8 August 2002 and finished on 25 May 2003.
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For second season in a row with Makis Psomiadis at the wheel, who presented a very good team during the previous season. Despite the good performance in the last season, Fernando Santos resigned[1] due to the disrupted relationship with the administrative leader of the club. Psomiadis afterwards made a decision that no one could initially believe and brought Dušan Bajević back to the wheel of AEK. The Bosnian-Greek coach accepted Psomiadis' proposal (having also received guarantees from Psomiadis that he would be protected from a portion of the fans who did not want him back) and his big return became reality.[2] The return of Bajević received a divided reaction, as expected. Others did not want him at all in the club, others seemed to want him back due to his successful previous spell, while many seemed to viewed him strictly as a professional. Eventually, despite the problems he faced from time to time from a large portion of the crowd, in general, Bajević was able to work in the team during his first season without much trouble. Regarding the team's roster and the transfers of the summer of 2002, Carlos Gamarra left the team as his loan ended, while Akis Zikos, not having the best relations with Psomiadis, was also a thing of the past. On the other hand, Psomiadis made many impressive transfers such as Georgatos, Katsouranis, Borbokis, Wright, Centeno, Kreek, Nalitzis and Prieto.
AEK Athens presented a good and spectacular team with a very good performance and in the championship they had very good intervals. However, they were relatively behind in the title race, but eventually with an incredible streak of 12 wins in the last 12 games of the league, they re-entered the race finishing third, only 2 points behind Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, who were tied in first place, with the first winning the championship.
AEK once again had the opportunity to compete in the Champions League, but only if they passed the qualifying round. In the draw, where they were among the seeded clubs, AEK were drawn with APOEL. The first match took place in Cyprus, where APOEL took the lead from the beginning of the match, with AEK waking up and in one of the best matches of his career, Vasilios Borbokis took the team by the hand and with his two personal goals put AEK in front. The score was at 1–2, until the end of the game, but the finale was shocking. APOEL equalized with a penalty at the 90th minute, but AEK in the stoppage time with a goal by Nikolaidis got the 2–3 victory. In the rematch of Athens, AEK missed several chances but the half ended without a goal. Finally, AEK took the lead at the beginning of the second half and ceremoniously took the qualification to the Champions League group stage with a second victory by 1–0. AEK were drawn in Group C with the "galacticos" of the mighty Real Madrid, the historic Italian Roma and the Belgian Genk and achieved a historic record of drawing all six of the group stage games,[3] but failed to qualify to the next stage of the institution finishing 3rd and continued to the knock-out stage of the UEFA Cup.
AEK continued in the UEFA Cup and faced the Israeli Maccabi Haifa, an opponent that was certainly up to their standards. The first match in Athens, Maccabi came in stronger and won a penalty that hit the crossbar and then the ball didn't pass the line. From there on, AEK woke up and then the game became a monologue for the Greek team that reached the score 4–0 until the 35th minute, that remained until the final whistle. In the match, Michalis Kasapis became the top Greek footballer in appearances in European matches. Also, as it turned out afterwards, the last goal of the match, scored by Theodoros Zagorakis was the last European goal scored by AEK at the Nikos Goumas Stadium, before it was demolished. In the rematch that took place at GSP Stadium of Nicosia, the Israelis again entered the match better, winning an early penalty again and making the 1–0, but AEK took control of the match and scored 4 goals that gave not only the victory, but also a triumphant qualification. In the round of 16, AEK were against the Spanish Málaga, an opponent that was not at all easy, but was not beyond the capabilities of the Greek team. In the first match at La Rosaleda Stadium, the Spaniards came on strong and missed scoring chances, but yellow-black defense stood up well and the match ended at 0–0. AEK took a very important draw in view of the continuation. The rematch of Nea Filadelfeia proved to be of historical importance, since it was the last European game at Nikos Goumas Stadium. The match did not go well for AEK, who conceded a goal in the first half and without being able to do anything to turn the situation around and the 0–1 remained until the end, ending their European campaign.
In the Cup, AEK initially eliminated Kassandra and then easily passed through of Chalkidona. In the round of 16, they were drawn with Apollon Smyrnis, whom he also eliminated easily, and in the quarter-finals they played against Panionios, who they eliminated in a qualification that was decided in the rematch of Nikos Goumas Stadium. In the semi-finals they were placed against PAOK. First match in Nea Filadelfeia, AEK did not get a good performance and PAOK got the important victory with 0–1. In the rematch of Toumba Stadium, AEK took an early lead, bringing the aggregate score at even, but finally a goal at the end of the match gave PAOK the qualification.
A notable event of the season was the fight against Makis Psomiadis, who generally, towards the end of 2002, started to have more and more "enemies" within the club. In January, Demis Nikolaidis filed a lawsuit against Psomiadis, who had come by his house at 3 a.m. to check if the international striker was staying overnight and also for blackmail, insult and threatening his life and physical integrity, while stating that in the incident that took place outside Nikolaidis' and his wife's, Despina Vandi, house, apart from Psomiadis, some of his bodyguards were also present.[4] Psomiadis, having lost all of the support within the club, left and AEK Athens continued with the administration of the then president of Amateur AEK, Giannis Granitsas.[5] The season was also punctuated by the demolition of Nikos Goumas Stadium at 5 May 2003,[6] home to AEK Athens for 73 years.
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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 2003, 23:59 UTC+3.
No. | Player | Nat. | Position(s) | Date of birth (Age) | Signed | Previous club | Transfer fee | Contract until | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Goalkeepers | |||||||||
22 | Dionysis Chiotis | GK | June 30, 2003 | 1994 | AEK Athens U20 | — | 2005 | ||
33 | Chrysostomos Michailidis | GK | June 30, 2003 | 1997 | Eordaikos | Free | 2005 | ||
— | Giannis Arabatzis | GK | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Makrochori | Free | 2011 | ||
Defenders | |||||||||
2 | Vasilios Borbokis | RB / RM | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | PAOK | Free | 2003 | ||
5 | Nikos Kostenoglou (Vice-captain) | CB / RB | June 30, 2003 | 1994 | Skoda Xanthi | €400,000 | 2003 | ||
8 | Michel Kreek | LB / CB / LM / CM / DM | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Vitesse | €500,000 | 2004 | ||
16 | Nikolaos Georgeas | RB / LB / DM | June 30, 2003 | 2001 | Kalamata | €1,500,000 | 2006 | ||
17 | Michalis Kasapis (Captain) | LB / LM | June 30, 2003 | 1993 | Levadiakos | €200,000 | 2007 | ||
19 | Mauricio Wright | CB / RB | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Herediano | Free | 2005 | ||
25 | Stelios Maistrellis | CB | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Aiolikos | Free | 2006 | ||
31 | Grigoris Georgatos | LB / LM / LW / CM | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Internazionale | €3,000,000 | 2005 | ||
32 | Michalis Kapsis | CB | June 30, 2003 | 1999 | Ethnikos Piraeus | Free | 2003 | ||
40 | Grigoris Toskas | CB | June 30, 2003 | 2000 | AEK Athens U20 | — | 2005 | ||
81 | Stathis Kappos | RB | June 30, 2003 | 2001 | Kalamata | Free | 2005 | ||
Midfielders | |||||||||
6 | Theodoros Zagorakis (Vice-captain 2) | CM / DM / AM / RM / CB / RB | June 30, 2003 | 2000 | Leicester City | Free | 2003 | ||
7 | Christos Maladenis | CM / RM / LM / AM / RW / LW / SS | June 30, 2003 | 1995 | Skoda Xanthi | €500,000 | 2003 | ||
10 | Vasilios Tsiartas | AM / RM / LM / SS | June 30, 2003 | 2000 | Sevilla | €3,500,000 | 2003 | ||
13 | Georgios Passios | DM / CM / CB | June 30, 2003 | 1997 | AEK Athens U20 | — | 2003 | ||
14 | Ivan Rusev | AM / RM / LM / CM | June 30, 2003 | 2001 | Spartak Varna | Free | 2005 | ||
18 | Walter Centeno | AM / RM / LM / CM | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Saprissa | €410,000 | 2007 | ||
21 | Kostas Katsouranis | CM / DM / RM / LM / AM / CB / RB / LB | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Panachaiki | Free | 2005 | ||
23 | Vasilios Lakis | RM / RW / AM / CM | June 30, 2003 | 1998 | Paniliakos | €1,800,000 | 2003 | ||
28 | Milen Petkov | DM / CM / AM / RM / LM | June 30, 2003 | 2000 | CSKA Sofia | €800,000 | 2003 | ||
34 | Nikos Pourtoulidis | CM / AM | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Nea Karvali | Free | 2006 | ||
— | Dimitris Karameris | CM / DM | June 30, 2003 | 2000 | AEK Athens U20 | — | 2005 | ||
Forwards | |||||||||
9 | Ilias Solakis | ST | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | APOEL | Free | 2007 | ||
11 | Demis Nikolaidis | ST / SS | June 30, 2003 | 1996 | Apollon Athens | €900,000 | 2004 | ||
15 | Livio Prieto | LW / LM / SS / AM | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Independiente | Free | 2004 | ||
20 | Sotiris Konstantinidis | RW / LW / RM / LM / AM | June 30, 2003 | 1999 | Iraklis | Free | 2003 | ||
24 | Christos Kostis | SS / ST / AM / RW / LW | June 30, 2003 | 2000 | Anderlecht | Free | 2005 | ||
30 | Ilija Ivić | ST / LW | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Aris | Free | 2005 | ||
37 | Dimitris Nalitzis | ST | June 30, 2003 | 2002 | Udinese | Free | 2003 | ||
Left during Winter Transfer Window | |||||||||
1 | Ilias Atmatsidis | GK | June 30, 2003 | 1992 | Pontioi Veria | Free | 2004 | ||
— | Emanuel Ruiz | SS / ST / RW | June 30, 2003 | 2000 | Boca Juniors | Free | 2005 |
width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | From | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Fee | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Date | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Contract Until | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | PAOK | Free transfer | 30 June 2003 | [7] | ||||||||
8 | Vitesse | €500,000 | 30 June 2004 | [8] | ||||||||
9 | APOEL | Free transfer | 30 June 2007 | [9] | ||||||||
14 | Athinaikos | Loan return | 30 June 2005 | |||||||||
15 | Independiente | Free transfer | 30 June 2004 | [10] | ||||||||
18 | Saprissa | €410,000 | 30 June 2007 | [11] | ||||||||
19 | Herediano | Free transfer | 30 June 2005 | [12] | ||||||||
21 | Panachaiki | Free transfer | 30 June 2005 | [13] | ||||||||
25 | Aiolikos | Free transfer | 30 June 2006 | |||||||||
31 | Internazionale | €3,000,000 | 30 June 2005 | [14] | ||||||||
33 | Ethnikos Asteras | Loan return | 30 June 2005 | |||||||||
34 | Nea Karvali | Free transfer | 30 June 2006 | |||||||||
— | Makrochori | Free transfer | 30 June 2011 | |||||||||
— | Apollon Smyrnis | Loan return | 30 June 2003 | |||||||||
— | Athinaikos | Loan return | 30 June 2003 | |||||||||
— | Unión Santa Fe | Loan return | 30 June 2005 |
width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | From | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Fee | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Date | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Contract Until | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 | Panionios | Loan return | 30 June 2007 | |||||||||
14 | Apollon Smyrnis | Loan termination | 30 June 2005 |
width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | To | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Fee | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Date | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Atlético Mineiro | Contract termination | ||||||||
4 | Flamengo | Loan return | ||||||||
12 | Iraklis | Contract termination | [15] | |||||||
14 | Monaco | Free transfer | ||||||||
15 | LB Châteauroux | Contract termination | ||||||||
19 | Kallithea | Contract termination | ||||||||
21 | Poseidon Neon Poron | End of contract | ||||||||
26 | Porto | Loan return | ||||||||
— | Kalamata | Free transfer | ||||||||
— | Apollon Smyrnis | Free transfer |
width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | To | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Fee | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Date | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | PAOK | Contract termination | [16] | |||||||
— | Talleres | Contract termination |
width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | From | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Fee | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Date | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Until | Option to buy | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
88 | Udinese | Free | 30 June 2003 | [17] |
width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | To | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Fee | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Date | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Until | Option to buy | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 | Panionios | Free | 31 December 2002 | ||||||||||
12 | La Louvière | Free | 30 June 2003 | ||||||||||
14 | Apollon Smyrnis | Free | 30 June 2003 |
width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Date | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Former Exp. Date | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | New Exp. Date | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 30 June 2002 | 30 June 2004 | ||||||||
24 | 30 June 2002 | 30 June 2005 |
Summer: €3,900,000
Winter: €0
Total: €3,900,000
Summer: €0
Winter: €0
Total: €0
Summer: €3,900,000
Winter: €0
Total: €3,900,000
See main article: 2002–03 Alpha Ethniki.
See main article: 2002–03 Greek Football Cup.
See main article: 2002–03 UEFA Champions League.
The draw for the third qualifying round was held on 26 July 2002.
The draw for the group stage was held on 29 August 2002.[18] [19]
See main article: 2002–03 UEFA Cup.
See main article: 2002–03 UEFA Cup final phase.
The draw for the round of 32 was held on 15 November 2002.[20]
The draw for the round of 16 was held on 13 December 2002.[21]
! 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 Winter Transfer Window|-|}
Rank | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Alpha Ethniki | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Greek Cup | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Champions League | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | UEFA Cup | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 16 | ||||||||
2 | 23 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15 | ||||||||
88 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||
4 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||
5 | 30 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||
6 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | ||||||||
7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||
8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||
20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |||||||||
10 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||
11 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||
12 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||
18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
Own goals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
Totals | 74 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 112 |
Numbers in superscript represent the goals that the player scored.
width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Against | width=70 style="background:#FFDE00 | Result | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Date | width=150 style="background:#FFDE00 | Competition | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vasilios Lakis | Panachaiki | 6–0 (H) | 12 January 2003 | Alpha Ethniki | [22] | |||||
Dimitris Nalitzis | Egaleo | 3–2 (H) | 26 January 2003 | Alpha Ethniki | [23] | |||||
Vasilios Tsiartas | Kallithea | 3–1 (A) | 23 February 2003 | Alpha Ethniki | [24] |
Rank | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Alpha Ethniki | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Greek Cup | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Champions League | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | UEFA Cup | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 31 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 | ||||||||
2 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | ||||||||
3 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||
23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |||||||||
5 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||
6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |||||||||
11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |||||||||
7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||
18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
9 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||
20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
11 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||
16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
88 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
Totals | 59 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 70 |
The list is sorted by competition order when total clean sheets are equal, then by shirt number and then alphabetically by surname. Clean sheets in games where both goalkeepers participated are awarded to the goalkeeper who started the game. Goalkeepers with no appearances are not included.
Rank | width=200 style="background:#FFDE00 | Player | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Alpha Ethniki | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Greek Cup | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Champions League | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | UEFA Cup | width=120 style="background:#FFDE00 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 18 | |||||||
2 | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||||||
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||
Totals | 11 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 22 |
|-! 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|}
Formation | Matchday(s) | ||
---|---|---|---|
43 | 4–2–3–1 | 1–30 | |
9 | 4–4–2 | ||
2 | 5–4–1 |
Player | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
22 | Dionysis Chiotis | GK | ||
19 | Mauricio Wright | RCB | ||
32 | Michalis Kapsis | LCB | ||
2 | Vasilios Borbokis | RB | ||
17 | Michalis Kasapis (C) | LB | ||
6 | Theodoros Zagorakis | DM | ||
21 | Kostas Katsouranis | CM | ||
23 | Vasilios Lakis | RM | ||
31 | Grigoris Georgatos | LM | ||
10 | Vasilios Tsiartas | AM | ||
11 | Demis Nikolaidis | CF |