Żurawski and Tümer Metin—AEL made an excellent championship course in the second round of the Super League and lost by one goal tie with Panionios the 5th position that led to the playoffs. A bittersweet epilogue to one of the most successful season in the team's history. Confirming the ever upward steps at all levels AEL recorded in 2008–09 one of the most successful years in its modern history. Stayed for 13 consecutive undefeated matches, finished fifth in the Super League and ensured its entry into the play-offs and a European output (in the UEFA Europa League) for the third time in the last four years and for just the third time in its history through the championship. It is a year in which AEL—among other things—broke two traditions winning in Kaftanzoglio Iraklis for the first time since 1982 and Olympiacos in Karaiskakis Stadium after 26 years. New bending From that point the countdown started again, which two years later brought back AEL in the second division. Wrong assessments and decisions regarding the completion of the team roster, and the leaving of the players who provided the guarantee of a remarkable and steady racing body, but much more decisive was the relentless chase of the team on the part of arbitration. The European exclusion from the weak Icelandic KR Reykjavík because of, mainly, the poor squad and preparation in the summer of 2009 brought the first clouds. The unexpected death of the late Mexican striker Antonio de Nigris on 16 November marked with indelible black lettering that period, in which AEL has managed to keep its position in the penultimate game of the season, changing coach (Giannis Papakostas in place of Marinos Ouzounidis) and achieving 5 wins in the last 7 games of the season. The prospect of the entry into the new stadium (the AEL FC Arena) and the feeling that the near-mishap last season had taught a lesson, created expectations of great things for the 2010–11 season, accompanied by large investments in player transfers. The transition from the historic Alcazar Stadium into the newly built AEL FC Arena in late November—early December 2010, was not made in the way that every fan had hoped and dreamed of. Two defeats by Panionios, (0–1) and PAOK (1–2), spoiled the festive atmosphere, but above all it was the shadow of arbitration that created a bleak future again. Grossly injusticed over the