2003–04 AEK Athens F.C. season
Introduction The '''2003–04 season''' was the 80th season in the existence of AEK Athens F.C. and the 45th consecutive season in the top flight of Greek football. They competed in the Alpha Ethniki, the Greek Cup and the UEFA Champions League. The season began on 17 August 2003 and finished on 22 May 2004.
Kits |
Overview The summer of 2003 started with severe financial and administrative problems for another season in the history of AEK. The administration of the court of first instance was trying to put the club in an order after the "mess" of Psomiadis and things were very difficult, while the "star" of the team, Demis Nikolaidis also left for Atlético Madrid. Everything looked disappointing, but suddenly, in the summer, the climate reversed after some strong transfers were made with the acquisition of Nikos Liberopoulos and Ioannis Okkas with the help of the then outsider, Dimitris Melissanidis, while almost all the other players of the very good roster of the previous year remained.While the roster was very good, the atmosphere was very bad and so the team ultimately presented a bad image. The players were unpaid, Bajević was permanently at odds with some of the fans, without showing that he was the coach he used to be, and as if all this was not enough, the team was roaming around various stadiums in Attica, since the Nikos Goumas Stadium was demolished. The result was the resignation of Bajević during the 18th matchday. With the assumption of the technical leadership by the Romanian Ilie Dumitrescu, AEK eventually finished at the 4th place of the league with the players presenting themselves far below their value and the team looking disjointed and weak throughout during the season.AEK had the opportunity to compete for the second consecutive season in the Champions League group stage, and the need for this to happen became even more imperative for financial reasons, since the team was facing huge financial problems. On their way, the Swiss Grasshopper and the yellow-blacks were considered favorites for qualification. In the first match at the Hardturm, the AEK did not appear ready and the Swiss had the upper hand and even if they became more threatening offensively in the second half, the Swiss team scored, the match ended 1–0 and things became difficult for the Greek team. The rematch that took place at the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium with AEK entering the match very strongly and with 2 goals and an own goal were already getting a qualifying score by the 39th minute. In the second half, however, Grasshoppers scored, but AEK responded with a goal by Liberopoulos and in the last minutes the Swiss team put a lot of pressure on the Greek team without finally being able to score the goal that would have given them qualification. Thus, AEK qualified for a second year in a row in the group stage of the Champions League and were drawn with Monaco, Deportivo La Coruña and PSV Eindhoven, where they finished last after 2 draws and 4 defeats.In the Greek Cup, AEK first eliminated Doxa Drama then they qualified without an opponent to the Round of 16, where they also eliminated Agrotikos Asteras and then they faced Iraklis, where they also got an easy qualification. In the semi-finals AEK came across Panathinaikos. The first match at the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium ended 2–2 with both teams scoring one goal each towards the end of the match. In the rematch at Giannis Pathiakakis Stadium, the yellow-blacks appeared inferior to the circumstances, ultimately losing with 0–1 and thus they were eliminated from the final.As the season progressed, the team's financial and administrative situation appeared to have reached their limits, with the result that the very existence of the club was threatened. Top scorer of this bad season in the league for AEK, Nikos Liberopoulos with 13 goals, while Vasilios Lakis scored 10 goals.
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 22 May 2004, 23:59 UTC+3. ''No.PlayerNat.Position(s)Date of birth (Age)SignedPrevious clubTransfer feeContract until Goalkeepers 1 Chrysostomos Michailidis  GK  1997  Eordaikos Free 2005 12 Sotiris Liberopoulos  GK  2001  Kalamata Free 2005 22 Dionysis Chiotis  GK  1994  AEK Athens U20 — 2005 41 Giannis Arabatzis  GK  2002  Makrochori Free 2011 Defenders 2 Vasilios Borbokis  RB / RM  2002  PAOK Free 2004 5 Nikos Kostenoglou (Vice-captain 2)  CB / RB  1994  Skoda Xanthi €400,000 2005 8 Michel Kreek  LB / CB / LM / CM / DM  2002  Vitesse €500,000 2004 16 Nikolaos Georgeas  RB / LB / DM  2001  Kalamata €1,500,000 2008 17 Michalis Kasapis (Captain)  LB / LM  1993  Levadiakos €200,000 2007 18 Vangelis Moras  CB / DM / RB  2003  Proodeftiki €260,000 2007 19 Kofi Amponsah  CB / LB  2003  PAOK Free 2006 25 Goran Popov  LB / CB / RB  2004  Proodeftiki Free 2004 32 Michalis Kapsis  CB  1999  Ethnikos Piraeus Free 2007 38 Panagiotis Stergiatos  CB  2003  AEK Athens U20 — 2008 39 Grigoris Toskas  CB  2000  AEK Athens U20 — 2005 81 Stathis Kappos  RB  2001  Kalamata Free 2005 Midfielders 3 Milen Petkov  DM / CM / AM / RM / LM  2000  CSKA Sofia €800,000 2004 6 Theodoros Zagorakis  CM / DM / AM / RM / CB / RB  2000  Leicester City Free 2005 10 Vasilios Tsiartas (Vice-captain)  AM / RM / LM / SS  2000  Sevilla €3,500,000 2006 14 Ivan Rusev  AM / RM / LM / CM  2001  Spartak Varna Free 2005 21 Kostas Katsouranis  CM / DM / RM / LM / AM / CB / RB / LB  2002  Panachaiki Free 2005 23 Vasilios Lakis  RM / RW / AM / CM  1998  Paniliakos €1,900,000 2007 35 Dimitris Karameris  CM / DM  2000  AEK Athens U20 — 2005 40 Christos Tsevas  AM  2003  AEK Athens U20 — 2008 —  Peter Philipakos  RM / AM  2003  American Eagles Free 2007 Forwards 9 Ioannis Okkas  ST / RW / LW / SS / AM  2003  PAOK Free 2005 20 Sotiris Konstantinidis  RW / LW / RM / LM / AM  1999  Iraklis Free 2006 26 Christos Kostis  SS / ST / AM / RW / LW  2000  Anderlecht Free 2005 30 Ilija Ivić  ST / LW  2002  Aris Free 2006 33 Nikos Liberopoulos  SS / ST / AM  2003  Panathinaikos Free 2006 36 Tasos Thanos  ST  2003  AEK Athens U20 — 2008 88 Dimitris Nalitzis  ST  2003  Udinese €200,000 2007 Left during Winter Transfer Window 31 Grigoris Georgatos  LB / LM / LW / CM  2002  Internazionale €3,000,000 2005 — Stelios Maistrellis  CB  2002  Aiolikos Free 2006 7 Christos Maladenis  CM / RM / LM / AM / RW / LW / SS  1995  Skoda Xanthi €500,000 2005 34 Nikos Pourtoulidis  CM / AM  2002  Nea Karvali Free 2006
Transfers ===In=======Summer====PlayerFromTypeFeeDateContract UntilSource9    PAOKTransferFree30 June 200512    La LouvièreEnd of loan—30 June 200418    ProodeftikiTransfer€260,00030 June 200719    PAOKTransferFree30 June 200633    PanathinaikosTransferFree30 June 200636    AEK Athens U20Promotion—30 June 200738    AEK Athens U20Promotion—30 June 200840    AEK Athens U20Promotion—30 June 200888    UdineseTransfer€200,00030 June 2007====Winter====PlayerFromTypeFeeDateContract UntilSource25    ProodeftikiTransferFree30 June 2004—    American EaglesTransferFree30 June 2007===Out=======Summer====PlayerToTypeFeeDateSource11    Atlético MadridContract termination—13    AELEnd of contract—15    Nueva ChicagoContract termination—18    SaprissaContract termination—19    Shenyang GindeContract termination—37    UdineseEnd of loan—====Winter====PlayerToTypeFeeDateSource7    PAOKContract termination—31    OlympiacosContract termination—'''Notes''': '''a.''' Plus 25% of resale. : '''b.''' The player paid €400,000 to the club for his contract termination so he could rejoin Olympiacos.===Loan out=======Summer====PlayerToFeeDateUntilOption to buySource20    Niki VolosFree30 June 2004====Winter====PlayerToFeeDateUntilOption to buySource34    ThrasyvoulosFree30 June 2005—    AkratitosFree30 June 2004===Contract renewals===PlayerDateFormer Exp. DateNew Exp. DateSource2  30 June 200330 June 20043  30 June 200330 June 20045  30 June 200330 June 20056  30 June 200330 June 20057  30 June 200330 June 200510  30 June 200330 June 200616  30 June 200630 June 200820  30 June 200330 June 200623  30 June 200330 June 200730  30 June 200530 June 200632  31 December 200330 June 2007===Overall transfer activity=======Expenditure====Summer:  €460,000Winter:  €0Total:  €460,000====Income====Summer:  €0Winter:  €0Total:  €0====Net Totals====Summer:  €460,000Winter:  €0Total:  €460,000
Pre-season and friendlies
Competitions ===Overall record======Alpha Ethniki=======League table========Results summary========Results by Matchday========Fixtures=======Greek Cup=======First round========Second round====''AEK Athens qualified to the Round of 16 without a match. ''====Round of 16========Quarter-finals========Semi-finals=======UEFA Champions League=======Third qualifying round====The draw for the third qualifying round was held on 25 July 2003.====Group stage====The draw for the group stage was held on 28 August 2003.
Statistics ===Squad statistics=== Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Forwards Left during Winter Transfer Window===Goalscorers===RankPlayerAlpha EthnikiGreek CupChampions LeagueTotal'''1'''3313 3 1'''17''''''2'''2310 1 0'''11''''''3'''21 7 2 1'''10''''''4'''9 5 4 0'''9''''''5'''31 5 0 0'''5'''17 5 0 0'''5'''10 2 2 1'''5''''''8'''20 2 1 0'''3'''14 1 2 0'''3''''''10'''88 2 0 0'''2'''3 1 1 0'''2''''''12'''19 1 0 0'''1'''2 1 0 0'''1'''7 1 0 0'''1'''26 0 1 0'''1''''''Own goals''' 1 0 1'''2''''''Totals''''''57''''''17'''''' 4''''''78'''===Hat-tricks===''Numbers in superscript represent the goals that the player scored. ''PlayerAgainst Result Date Competition Source  Nikos Liberopoulos  Akratitos 7–2 (A) 9 November 2003 Alpha Ethniki  Ioannis Okkas  Doxa Drama 4–0 (A) 17 August 2003 Greek Cup===Assists===RankPlayerAlpha EthnikiGreek CupChampions LeagueTotal'''1'''1011 0 0'''11''''''2'''9 5 0 0'''5''''''3'''6 4 0 0'''4''''''4'''2 3 0 0'''3'''23 3 0 0'''3'''20 3 0 0'''3'''88 3 0 0'''3''''''8'''21 2 0 0'''2''''''9'''5 1 0 0'''1'''31 1 0 0'''1'''3 1 0 0'''1'''14 1 0 0'''1'''17 1 0 0'''1'''33 1 0 0'''1''''''Totals''''''40'''''' 0'''''' 0''''''40'''===Clean sheets===''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. ''RankPlayerAlpha EthnikiGreek CupChampions LeagueTotal'''1'''1 6 2 1'''9''''''2'''12 2 1 0'''3'''22 2 1 0'''3''''''Totals''''''10'''''' 4'''''' 1''''''15'''===Disciplinary record=== Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Forwards Left during Winter Transfer window===Starting 11===  Formation Matchday(s)'''39''''''4–4–2'''1–2, 4–17, 19–30'''3''''''4–2–3–1'''3, 18'''2''''''5–4–1'''   Player '''1''''''Chrysostomos Michailidis''''''GK''''''18''''''Vangelis Moras''''''RCB''''''32''''''Michalis Kapsis''''''LCB''''''2''''''Vasilios Borbokis''''''RB''''''8''''''Michel Kreek''''''LB''''''6''''''Theodoros Zagorakis''' '''(C)''''''DM''''''21''''''Kostas Katsouranis''''''CM''''''23''''''Vasilios Lakis''''''RM''''''10''''''Vasilios Tsiartas''''''LM''''''33''''''Nikos Liberopoulos''''''SS''''''9''''''Ioannis Okkas''''''CF'''
References
External links * masternews.gr  Kit source* AEK Athens F.C. Official Website