A Greek writes about Brighton v AEK Athens
The hour is upon us. The first European match in Brighton history with AEK Athens coming to the Amex for Europa League action.
Football fans in Greece know about the Seagulls. We admire them. We know that if we sit down and watch them, we will enjoy the spectacle.
But how well do Brighton fans know AEK? Who are the dangermen in the team led by Mathias Almeida? What about the terrible injury issues he is facing? And which manager provides a link between the two teams?
Here are 5+1 things for Seagulls followers to learn about AEK.
Double winners
AEK won the Greek league and cup double last season for the third time in their history. The most recent took place in 1978, so a 45 year wait for supporters.
They have kept their squad almost unchanged for 2023-24, except €10 million has been spent to add Ezequiel Ponce and Orbelín Pineda to the roster.
Three players who have played in England
AEK have three players who have played for English clubs. Djibril Sidibe was at Everton when the Toffees were coached by Carlo Ancelotti.
Bristol City paid £1.8 million for Niclas Eliasson in 2017. He played for the Robins at the same time as Brighton defender Adam Webster.
Harold Moukoudi had a loan spell with Middlesbrough, where his head coach was former Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate.
Boro are a familiar club to Greek football fans thanks to goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos passing through Riverside Stadium.
World Cup finalists 2018
Two AEK players were in the squads who made it to the 2018 World Cup final. Sidibe did not participate for France in the most crucial match of the tournament. He did play minutes in previous games.
Doagoj Vida was in the starting XI for Croatia at Luzhniki Stadium when it finished France 4-2 Croatia. Vida also went to the latest World Cup but did not play as Croatia finished third.
Conceding goals
AEK have conceded goals in all their game so far and have scored themselves in six out of seven. Only against the Belgian champions, Antwerp, in Champions League qualify did they not fund the back of the net.
The 1-1 draw with Olympiacos on Sunday was the first game AEK have taken the lead in any match this season. Ponce broke the run but the final result was points split after a Olympiacos goal from Ayoub El Kaabi assisted by Daniel Podence, who is on loan from Wolves.
Problems in defence
At the moment, AEK have just one available central defender. Moukoudi and Vida are injured, leaving Gerasimos Mitoglou alone.
Next to him at the Amex, left back Ehsan Hajsafi is expected to start in an unusual role. Hajsafi has played for AEK and Olympiacos and is captain of Iran.
The rest of the XI should be the same who started the Greek derby with Olympiacos on Sunday. Orbelin Pineda should be watched carefully and Brighton will be pleased to know last season’s top scorer Levi Garcia is definitely out.
The connecting link
Connecting AEK Athens and Brighton is of course Gus Poyet. He was the first Seagulls manager appointed by Tony Bloom and took charge of AEK from October to April in the 2015-16 season.
Poyet was at the helm of AEK for 28 matches, He won 18, counted five draws and the same number of defeats. He now manages the Greek national team and always talks positively about Bloom, De Zerbi and Brighton.
Dimitris Manakos @dimitris_manakos / England365.gr
