during training and games during Roma's disastrous 2004–05 season. After failing to renew his contract with the club, Dellas became a free agent. He would eventually miss nearly 8 months of football due to back and hernia injuries and thus, expected offers from the big clubs of Europe failed to materialize. Return to AEK Athens In the summer of 2005 Dellas decided to return to AEK, where his former teammate and good friend Demis Nikolaidis was the president. He renewed his contract in June 2007 for a further two years and became team captain. Here Dellas played alongside players like Rivaldo, Pantelis Kafes and the talented Sokratis Papastathopoulos. In AEK came very close of winning the league, but the opportunity was lost due to the "Valner affair" and the title went to Olympiacos. On 23 July 2008, Dellas and AEK agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent after failing to agree on a new contract. Anorthosis On 24 July 2008 agreed to sign a two-year deal with Cypriot football club Anorthosis Famagusta. Dellas helped the team to qualify for the UEFA Champions League in the season 2008–09, in the same group with his rival club when he was at AEK, Panathinaikos and Inter Milan of José Mourinho. Third spell at AEK Athens On 5 June 2010, Dellas agreed to sign with AEK Athens again, this time for one year, possibly intending to end his career at the team he supports. Nikos Liberopoulos also returned at the club and alongside Dellas formed their leading duo. On 12 December 2010, Dellas scored his first goal in the Greek championship after two years' absence, against AEL. On 16 March 2011 he scored in the semi-final of the cup against PAOK and sent AEK to the final of the tournament. On 30 April 2011, Dellas won with AEK his second Cup. He played at AEK for one more season when on 26 May 2012, Dellas announced his retirement from professional football. International career Dellas earned his first cap for Greece in April 2001 in a 2–2 draw with Croatia. Dellas had an exceptional tournament at Euro 2004, partnering again with his former teammate at AEK, Michalis Kapsis in the centre of what became an almost impenetrable Greek defence, leading to him being voted onto the tournament all-star squad. During the semi-finals, he scored the only silver goal ever in the last minute of