2021–22 AEK Athens F.C. season

The 2021–22 season was the 98th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 61st competitive season and seventh consecutive in the top flight of Greek football. They competed in the Super League, the Greek Cup and the Europa Conference League. The season began on 22 July 2021 and finished on 17 May 2022.

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After a season in which European participation was secured at the last moment, the decision was made to make changes across the squad. A search for a new coach, a new sporting director and many new signings were the task for the upcoming season. Dimitris Melissanidis chose Vladan Milojević as the new coach, who was known from his time in Greece both as a player and coach, as well as from a very successful spell at Red Star Belgrade.^[1] Several transfers were made, with the permanent return of the old acquaintances, Ognjen Vranješ and Sergio Araujo, while international players, such as Cican Stanković, Georgios Tzavellas, Lazaros Rota, Ehsan Hajsafi, Milad Mohammadi and Nordin Amrabat also arrived. However, the transfer that stood out, was that of the Swiss international, Steven Zuber, who came as a loan. Players with great contribution in the previous seasons with the likes of Dmytro Chyhrynskyi, Hélder Lopes, Nenad Krstičić and Nélson Oliveira left the team.

The start of the season found AEK in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League, facing Velež Mostar, a relative "unknown" club in Europe with the only thing that the yellow-black fans knew about was that they were the team that Dušan Bajević began his football and coaching career.^[2] The match took place at Stadion Grbavica, away from their natural home, due to its unsuitability for holding European matches. AEK who were the undisputed favourite, entered the match well and managed to take an early lead with Ansarifard, but a mistake by Tsintotas brought the quick equalization for the Bosnians. AEK looked superior and should have taken the lead again, but a second goal by Ansarifard was wrongly ruled out for offside. As time went on, Velež started to increase their performance and eventually made the 2–1, which surprisingly remained as the final score that put AEK in trouble. The second leg and qualification were judged a week later at the Olympic Stadium. It was the first season that UEFA approved the proposal to abolish the away goals rule in all their competitions,^[3] thus the Greek club needed two goals to qualify at the normal time. The match from the beginning was a monologue for AEK, but the Bosnians were positioned correctly on the pitch and did not leave any free spaces. Time passed and AEK became more and more stressed, but in the final minutes of the stoppage time a goal by Mantalos, sent the match went to extra time, since the away goals rule no longer applied. Without anything changing, the match eventually went to penalty shootout, where the most humiliating elimination in the European history of AEK Athens took place, as they lost 2–3 by Velež Mostar.

The season had already started badly from very early on, but after the elimination the transfer moves were completed, and the team seemed ready in claiming titles. In the beginning, AEK showed that they had a quality roster, but they lacked the psychology and determination to compete for the title race. The first negative results of the team brought to the administration doubts in the face of Milojević. Nevertheless, in October, the contract of Serbian coach was mutually terminated.^[4] AEK found themselves yet again looking for a coach in the midst of the season. Although most were in favor of a foreign experienced coach, Melissanidis decided to give a chance to a promising Greek coach, Argiris Giannikis,^[5] who had a very good presence for two seasons at PAS Giannina. As usual the change of coach initially brought some positive results, but it quickly became apparent that many things were missing from the team to emerge as real contenders for the title.

In the cup, AEK making an extensive rotation and the coach giving time to players that didn't compete much during the previous games easily passed through A.E. Kifisia for the round of 16. In the quarter-finals they faced PAOK. Despite their good image at both legs, they were again eliminated by the club of Thessaloniki, after their collapse in the final minutes of the stoppage time of the second leg at home, where they conceded two goals, and the game was turned around for PAOK.

After bad results which included 3 home defeats and an embarrassing away 3–0 against Panathinaikos, brought the expected end to the tenure of Giannikis at AEK.^[6] The person who was called to close the season and try to achieve the minimum of the goals, that was a place in the next season's UEFA competitions, was the coach of the newly-formed B team, Sokratis Ofrydopoulos, as caretaker. Furthermore, with the initiative of Melissanidis, the Polish superstar, Grzegorz Krychowiak was brought to play just for the play-offs, in order to increase the chances of the team for a European ticket. AEK entered the play-offs at the 4th place and with consecutive matches that it was unable to win, came to play its exit in Europe on the penultimate matchday at Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium against Aris. AEK only wanted only victory, they entered the match very well, they took a 0–2 lead and afterwards collapsed eventually losing by 3–2. AEK managed to stay out of Europe, in the worst year it had after their comeback from their relegation. The team had literally reached rock bottom and in the last and indifferent match of the year against Olympiacos at home, there were protests of the fans against the management and players, for the shameful year they had.^[7]

The situation in the team looked bleak and although the management had already reached an agreement with Matías Almeyda to become the next season's coach, there was barely a chance of the recovery of the club. AEK were reaching the most crucial path of their history, as on the following year was the one that they would return to their natural ground, the nearly-completed Agia Sophia Stadium and it seemed that it would happen at perhaps the worst competitive timing.^[8]

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 17 May 2022, 23:59 UTC+3.

Notes

AEK entered the Greek Cup at the round of 16.