AEK Larnaca F.C.

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AEK Larnaca

Full name	Athletiki Enosi Kition Greek: Αθλητική Ένωση Κίτιον
Nickname(s)	Κιτρινοπράσινοι (Kitrinoprasinoi, "green-yellows"); Φρουροί (Phrouroi, "guardians")
Founded	1994
Ground	Neo GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus (Capacity: 13,032)
Chairman	Costas Michaelides
Manager	Kevin Hofland
Coach	None
League	Cypriot First Division
2011–12	5th
Home colours Away colours

AEK Larnaca FC (Greek: Αθλητική Έvωση Κιτίου Λάρνακας, Athletiki Enosi Kitiou Larnakas, "Larnaca Kition Athletic Union") is a Cypriot Sports club, based in the port of Larnaca. Their home ground is the GSZ stadium. The club was formed in 1994 after a merger of two Larnaca clubs: EPA Larnaca and Pezoporikos. The club has football section, basketball sections for men AEK Larnaca B.C. and women Petrolina AEK and a volleyball section for women.

The colours of the club are yellow and green and their emblem is admiral Kimon, who died at the seafront defending the city of Kition (modern Larnaca) in a major battle in Cyprus at about 450 BC, in a fight against the Persians. He had told his officers to keep the news of his possible death secret. The quote "Και Νεκρος Ενικα" ("Even in death he was victorious") refers to Kimon.

The official website of the team is www.aek.com.cy and for the fan club is www.aekition.com

History

AEK Larnaca won their first Cypriot Cup in 2004 beating AEL Limassol 2–1. They reached two more times the Cup final, but both times were beaten by APOEL FC; in 1996, 2–0 in extra time and in 2006, 3–2. It is their only title as AEK until now. The two clubs that led to the merger, EPA Larnaca FC and Pezoporikos Larnaca, also enjoyed separate success on their own, with the first winning three championship titles, five cups and one Super Cup, while Pezoporikos won two leagues and one cup. The brightest part of the club though is the qualification to the Europa League groups in the season 2011/12 after beating Rozenborg, Mlada Boleslav and Floriana.

The basketball club, after the first year of the merge of Pezoporikos and EPA, finished in the second position and continued to do well in 1995 finishing 3rd. The following years until 2000, the club, despite the financial problem that had, achieved to remain in First Division. In 2001–02, the club stopped the basketball team's activities for a year because of financial problems and stopped to compete in any competition. In 2002–03 the club began playing in the second division, winning both its league and the cup in 2004–05, but being relegated the immediate year after promotion, only to again win the double in 2006–07.

The volleyball team, for women only, was beaten in the Cup final by AEL Limassol 3–0, one year after the merge of Pezoporikos and EPA. The same happened in 2001, being beaten by the same team with same score but, as AEL Limassol won the double, participated in the Super Cup finally emerging victorious, 3–1 in Lefkotheo Indoor Hall, Nicosia, winning the first piece of silverware in the club's history. In 2007, the section achieved a double, again beating AEL on both occasions (cup and league).

They were relegated to the second division for the first time in their history in the 2008–09 season.After one year in Second division they were promoted to First division for 2010–2011. As the team ended fourth in the next season, AEK qualified to the Europa League 2011/12 where they achieved to be the first Cypriot team to qualify to the group stage of this tournament, after eliminating Floriana, Mlada Boleslav and Rozenborg.

Supporters

AEK Larnaca Fans at GSZ Stadium.

Honours

Domestic

• Cypriot Cup:
  • Winners (1): 2004
  • Runner-up (2): 1996, 2006

• LTV Super Cup:
  • Runner-up (2): 1996, 2004

AEK Larnaca F.C. in Europe

Including 2011–12 season

Players

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Alexandre Negri 3 DF Albert Serrán 5 MF Gregoor van Dijk (Captain) 8 MF Giannis Skopelitis 10 MF Gonzalo García 11 MF Koullis Pavlou 12 FW Lenos Georgiou 13 DF Andreas Pepetsios 15 DF Constantinos Kastanas 16 MF Yakubu Alfa

No. Position Player 18 DF Ander Murillo 19 DF Tim de Cler 20 MF Jason Demetriou 23 FW Gorka Pintado 25 FW Antun Palić 29 FW Nestoras Mitidis 30 GK Andreas Photiou 31 MF Alex da Silva 32 MF Demetris Kyprianou 40 GK Zanettos Mitidis

For recent transfers, see List of Cypriot football transfers summer 2012.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Staff

Coaching staff

• Head Coach: None
• Assistant Coach: Henk Theunissen
• Fitness Coach: Nol Hornix
• Goalkeeper Coach: Giorgos Papasavvas
• Manager: Kevin Hofland

Board of directors

• President: Kwstas Michaelidis
• Executive Vice President: Kwstas Demtriou
• Executive Vice President: Andreas Kavallaris
• Vice President: Andros Pelecanos
• Commercial Director: Fivos Stavrides
• Financial Director: Andreas Georgiades
• Marketing and Communication Director:Andreas Pavlides
• Planning Director:Evangelos Mouscos
• Football General Manager:Evmeos Efthymiades
• Basketball Department President:Andreas Lefkaritis
• Academy Department President:Joseph Frangos
• Member:Giannakis Chalios

Sponsorship

• Official Shirt Sponsor – CytaVision
• Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer – Puma

Notable players

Notable former managers

• Andreas Mouskallis (1994)
• Stavros Papadopoulos
• Petros Ravousis (1998–1999)
• Radmilo Ivančević (1999–2000)
• Dusan Mitosevic
• Michalis Hadjipieris (2002–2003)
• Nikos Andronikou (2003)
• Andreas Mouskallis (December 2003 – November 2004)
• Neophytos Larkou (2004)
• Nikolay Kostov (December 2004–2005)
• Marios Constantinou (2005 – October 2007)
• Nir Klinger (October 2007 – October 2008)
• Makis Katsavakis (October 2008 – December 2008)
• Louis Stefani (December 2008)
• Christos Kassianos (January 2009)
• Savvas Constantinou (February 2009 – November 2009)
• Andreas Michaelides (December 2009 – May 2010)
• Ton Caanen (May 2010 – November 2011)
• Leon Vlemmings (December 2011 - May 2012)

External links

• Official website
• Official AEK Larnaca TV
• AEK Larnaca Fans