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| Full name | Athlitiki Enosi Larissa Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Βασίλισσα του Κάμπου (Queen of the Plains) Οι Βυσσινί (The Crimsons) | |||
| Short name | AEL | |||
| Founded | 17 May 1964; 61 years ago (1964-05-17) | |||
| Ground | AEL FC Arena | |||
| Capacity | 17,118 | |||
| Owner | Achilleas Ntavelis | |||
| President | Achilleas Ntavelis | |||
| Head coach | Stelios Malezas | |||
| League | Super League Greece | |||
| 2024–25 | Super League Greece 2, 1st (promoted) | |||
| Website | aelfc.gr | |||
 Current season | ||||
Athlitiki Enosi Larissa Football Club (Greek:ΠΑΕ ΑΕΛ – Αθλητικής Ένωσης Λάρισας,romanized: Athlitiki Enosi Larissa,lit. 'Athletic Union of Larissa'), often known asAEL orLarissa,[1] is a Greek professionalfootball club based in the city ofLarissa, capital of Greece'sThessaly region.
AEL is one of the biggest Greek football teams and widely considered as the biggest team in Greece outside Athens and Thessaloniki. Founded in 1964, when 4 of the most prominent local football clubs decided to unite, it is directly associated with the city ofLarissa and its representation. The club's emblem, is a risinghorse and its colors arecrimson andwhite. It is the only team based outside the major Greek cities (Athens andThessaloniki) to have won theGreek Championship, which happened in the 1987–88 season. AEL has also won theGreek Cup twice (1984–85 and 2006–07) and came runners-up in the Cup finals of 1982 and 1984. This record places the club among the 5 top teams in the history of professionalGreek football. The team is followed by a loud and loyal fanbase, and has a strong rivalry with other big teams in Greece, such asPAOK andOlympiacos.
AEL has also participated in European competitions, reaching the league phase ofUEFA Cup in 2007-2008. Most notably, it has reached the quarter finals of theUEFA Cup Winner's Cup during the 1984-1985 season.
AEL play their home games atAEL FC Arena, a pure football ground with a capacity of 17,118 seats which can expeand to 33,000 making it the third largest Stadium in Greece. The team will compete in the top-tierGreek Super League competition, aftersealing the North Group league of Super League 2.
Athletic Union ofLarissa, The "Queen ofThessaly", the "Queen of the lowlands".AEL, is the club that represents one of the greatestGreek football prefectures. One Championship, two cups, four finals and many important successes at European level compose the temporal profile of the top team of the Greek region.[2][3][4]
AEL was created from a vision of a powerful team that will represent a city likeLarissa in the top category. The 17 May 1964, is referred to as the exact date of its establishment, and then—after a barrage of meetings and discussions held at the Municipal Conservatory ofLarissa and a catalytic last meeting of the local county clubs—it was decidedthe merger of:
Iraklis Larissa (1930), "Aris" (1926), "Toxotis" (1943) and "Larissaikos" (1930). The Athletic Union of Larissa was now a reality, designed on the background of theSecond Division, in shades of crimson and white, (not black and white, as initially decided). Typically, the conversion of the statute ofIraklis Larissa just a few days later—on 22 May—and its adoption on 8 June, gave AEL status, while teams "Dimitra", "Doxa Emporoipalilon" (based on "Aris Larissas" and "Doxa"), "Pelasgiotida" (by "Larissaikos" and "Pelasgikos") and "Olympos" (based on "Toxotis" and "Panthessalikos") completed this football family. On 7 June,Alcazar Stadium, the team's first homeground, recorded the initial friendly game, againstPanionios which, by that time, was a very strong team, winning 2–1.YugoslavianAlexander Petrovic, was the first foreign coach that was hired to ensure the impartiality of the team lineup. Thus, names of players likeZampas,Karelias,Kyriakos,Lellis,Papazoglou,Kassas,Saltapidas,Delfos,Katsianis and many others, passed into the history ofThessalian football. Everything was ready to start, under the administrative umbrella of a 15-member ecumenical council, composed of representatives of clubs and organizations of the city, in which the property was held by the former president ofIraklis Larissa,K. Tzovaridis.
Examples of other Greek areas where mergers and establishment of strong teams brought direct impact and a promotion in the1st Division, has created in advance an optimism which did not materialize. The team ended the 1964–65 season in fifth place. The next year, the team improved by two seats in the final table. The promotion was lost in a game on 8 May 1966 atMegara with the home sideVyzas opponent.[5] During the entry of the team on the field, player Dimitrios Zambas was hit in the head by a ladder thrown from the stands and was taken to the hospital.[6] The team with 10 players due to the elimination of Kyriakidis from the first quarter, and with three of the 10 remaining players injured, had formal presence, and was defeated 6–0. As well-known coaches likeDionysis Minardos,Giannis Helmis andGiourkas Seitaridis the first turned down the opportunity to steer the team, the downturn seemed certain and in 1969 their position fell even further. Relegation would be inevitable if the political conditions of the time—Greek military junta of 1967–1974—and the fact that teams headed by powerful men were in the same predicament, brought changes in the status of Greek football. Therefore,Kostas Aslanidis, Lieutenant Colonel and the Secretary General of Athletics, increased the two groups of the Second Division to three and thus AEL,Chania andIonikos continued in the B' National.[7] There was a rationalization of theSecond Division, by creating three groups of 16 teams, of which 15 would be relegated (five of each group) into the 3rd Division. Relegation did not happen and it was decided the next season that each group have 18 teams. Otherwise, like the previous season, the winners of groups (three this time) went to the final phase, which claimed the promotion in the1st Division. The team indeed, with the entrance to the 1970s, the emergence of the administrative forefront ofKantonias family (the owner of BIOKARPET Group[8]) and a dramatic changing at liveware, managed to change the status. The coming of some experienced players such asSimantiris,Kyziroglou,Charitidis andNikiforakis framed the talentedLakis Pagkarliotas and the others.
25–06–1972 : It was the last game of the championship of the Second Division. AEL needed the victory to celebrate the promotion in the First National (the team had 95 points while opponentPanserraikos had 96 and only the first of the group would promote). In theSerres Municipal Stadium that day (which holds the all-time attendance record with 14,200 tickets)[9] except the locals, also existed around 5000 guest fans fromLarissa.Nevertheless, AEL managed to precede with 0–1 butPanserraikos equalized with a disputed penalty.Soon riots appeared between the players on the court and generalized at the end of the match between the fans (final result 1–1).[10][11] The next day, thousands citizens ofLarissa were gathered and resentful of the injustice marched to the central square of the city. The demonstration took the character of ananti-junta movement. One of the few mass events that were made in Greece before the events ofAthens Polytechnic. Two days later AEL submitted an objection for the improper use of the player ofPanserraikosStefanidis. The Regulations CommitteeEPO upheld the complaint becausePanserraikos did not pay the fine of 250Drachmas for the penalty. On 30 June, the same committee in another meeting and after the intervention of ColonelAslanidis (himself originating fromSerres), dismissed the objection of AEL and promoted Panserraikos to the 1st National.[12]
AEL lineup in that match:Siavalas,Buttos,Simantiris,Kyziroglou,Lellis, (63'Makris),Nikiforakis, (50'Zachos),Charitidis,Argiroulis,Stergiadis,Seitaridis,Gkountelitsas..Εventually, what failed then to fulfil the team ofKostas Polychroniou, became reality one year later by the team ofStefan Karamfilovic.
A season that was started with PresidentAntonios Kantonias, continued withMichalis Kittas and ended up headed by MayorMessinis, was to be the top—until then—for the "crimsons" who rejoiced in the finale closing, the coveted promotion. It was the year thatHoracio Morales,Daniel Hill,Giorgio Vajeho,Guillermo Daus andEnrique Cavoli flew fromArgentina and "landed" at Alcazar. Just months earlier they had played with the colors ofIndependiente againstAC Milan in theIntercontinental Cup. On 23 June 1973, AEL winsKallithea 3–0 and seal typically the promotion in the First National, finishing first with 98 points, ahead of the second renaissanceKarditsa who finished with 89 points. The goals for AEL succeed byPagkarliotas at 16',D. Seitaridis at 38' andCharitidis at 80'. AEL lined up on the field with the following players:Siavalas,Simantiris,Seitaridis M.,Hill,Kyziroglou,Boutos,Charitidis,Cavoli,Rakintzoglou,Seitaridis andPagkarliotas.. The team started the season 1973–74 at the First National, with the enthusiasm of a rookie, but clearly capable of material, grafted by the talent and quality players likeKyriakidis,Matzourakis andDramalis in order to stay in the category. The course was based on the overall strength of the home ground and the final 9th position was considered highly successful.Karamfilovic was replaced (due to expired residence to the country that was not renewed for political reasons), by theBulgarian coachIvan Kochev. However, a team built on legionnaires without first having obtained the financial strength and solid basis, couldn't have long term evolution. So, the very next year problems started, which led to hasty choices, judgments and frequent upheavals in all levels. Inevitably therefore, the team didn't avoided the relegation and on summer of '75 returned to the Second Division. Since an immediate return was considered impossible, the rebuilding of the team began slowly, mainly based in local Larissa's area players. More experiencedSiavalas,Boutos,Lellis,Stergiadis, andArgiroulis formed the backbone on which, as time went on, had positive impact for the team. Of course, the great breakthrough was made a year later by PresidentElias Kelesidis and his colleagues in the administration, when they decided to promote to the first team all of the youth squad of AEL, and collect all the talents that admittedly stood well in theThessalian prefecture. Thus, on 26 May 1977, in a friendly match againstAEK (the first under spotlights in Alcazar stadium), AEL lined up withAnagnostou,Giannis Mousouris and nine native players fromLarissa's region. Among them, unknown then,Takis Parafestas,Giannis Valaoras,Dimitris Koukoulitsios andChristos Andreoudis. That summer of 77, rookies includingDimitris Mousiaris andGiannis Valaoras signed a professional contract. These two, along withKoukoulitsios andIlias Selionis, became members of the youth National teams.On 18 June 1978 AEL traveled inThessaloniki, and celebrated on the pitch ofNea Efkarpia a great victory againstMacedonikos (4–1), finishing first with 59 points ahead ofOlympiacos Volos, who eventually collected 57 points, while ensured the return in the major league of Greek football as the champion of the Northern Group of Second Division.Koukoulitsios scored the goals for AEL at 17' and 60',Valaoras at 31' andLiapis at 87'. AEL lined up on the field with the following players:Bountolos,Parafestas,Selionis,Dramalis,Argiroulis,Koumarias (63'Koukoulitsios),Andreoudis,Liapis,Mousiaris,Valaoras (61'Rammos).. The period 1977–78, completed the work of the previous season when AEL had finished in third place with 46 points. The balanced combination of experienced and talented players managed to create a strong team that succeeded in gaining the promotion. AEL returned to the First National and now, the solid foundations on which founded this football building, guaranteed a 15-year establishment and recognition that followed.
The successful policy of carefully selected few experienced and many talented young players continued and AEL not only threatened, but started slowly building a bright future, often achieving results that showed that something big was coming up. However, the same policy maintained by all administrations in the 80s, with proper and prudent management of its human material, gradually cultivated by coaches likeYugoslavianMilan Ribar, and laterKostas Polychroniou andAntonis Georgiadis. Even though some players selectively exited the team, it was certain that there was an equal replacement. So while the team has changed almost everything from the beginning to the end of the decade, in the conscience of the fans it has remained as one and single season. It was the era of AEL or better AEL FC, since in the summer of 1979 it was decided the organization of Greek football on a professional basis. The lateAntonios Kantonias, raising the prestige and power of the group "BIOKARPET" was the one who managed to secure the independence of the club, with exemplary organization and a very clear strategy : The aim to reach to the top. Healthy reasons did not allowed him to continue as President of the Interim Committee and the chair of the first administration, and was finally replaced bySimos Palaiochorlidis. But he had already managed to complete his mission.
On 6 September 1979,Dimitris Koukoulitsios andDimitris Mousiaris, were killed in a car crash[13][14] nearThiva, on their way toAthens for a training with theU-21 National team.Giannis Valaoras, who had survived the accident and overcame the shock, has been one of the greatest members of the team of the 80s.
With a stable administration, new faces on the roster,Maloumidis,Galitsios,Golandas and graduallyVoutyritsas andMitsibonas and with the advent of the technical leadership ofAntonis Georgiadis, AEL was beginning to show its "teeth".Best Regional team for the1980–81 season, AEL claimed the European exit in the final league game. Participation in theGreek Cup final in the summer of'82, for the first time in its history, and a 1–0 defeat byPanathinaikos in theNea Philadelfeia stadium.[15] The "greens" succeeded to the finals before the end of the championship and the barrage againstOlympiacos, in the neutralVolos, having the certainty that it would provide them in advance the Cup. On that historic first final that was held on 19 June 1982, AEL lined up with the following players:Plitsis,Parafestas,Patsiavouras,Galitsios,Argiroulis,Dramalis (82'Voutyritsas)Maloumidis,Golantas,Koutas (82'Mitsibonas)Andreoudis,Valaoras. The next season (1982–83) they came to claim the title after a great victory in the second round at theKaraiskaki Stadium derby[16] against Olympiacos. Eventually, the second place constituted the ultimate fulfillment forJacek Gmoch's players, who had been under strong denial because of the modest beginning of the team in the first round of the championship.
The legacy left by that season in living material, was a defender namedGiorgos Mitsibonas, one forward in the person ofMichalis Ziogas, (a player who knew as much as anyone else to be at the right time and in the right place) and of course a "coach on the field", which was none other than thePolish international,Kazimierz Kmiecik.The team of'82–83 season yielded modern, fast and sophisticated football and fairly won the nickname"Small Hamburg", taken by the great German team of the 80s. The first exit in Europe was a rewarding and meaningful vindication of an effort that lasted several years, even though AEL ultimately failed to overcome the obstacle of the very strongHungarianHonvéd.
Austrian coachWalter Skocik had found a good, technical but somewhat tired team. And even if they didn't show steady progress in the league, they managed to be in anotherCup Final. Opponent on 6 June 1984,Panathinaikos again, this time in theAthens Olympic Stadium, which was also used by the "greens" as home ground. This fact, coupled with the modest appearance of AEL, apparently justified by the intensity of the semi-final battle againstIraklis, (which took place just three days earlier) and the loss of the suspendedValaoras, brought normal|y a 2–0 defeat, leaving AEL bitterness, which diminished by the ticket for theUEFA Cup Winners' Cup, oncePanathinaikos had won the double.The next season, presidentKostas Samaras and coachAndrzej Strejlau (who brought with him fromPoland another great player, namedKrzysztof Adamczyk), were very optimistic about the team's course. Indeed, its participation in theCup Winners' Cup for the period1984–85 was impressive and established the name of theThessalian team in the European football map. The "crimsons" came up to the "8", where they have been excluded after two sensational quarter-finals by theSoviets ofDynamo Moscow. The unique, however, distinguish in the institution of theCup Winners Cup that season, made a big impression and showed how great this team was and capable for even bigger achievements. This team however—that many believed was playing the best football inGreece by that time—was unstoppable and determined to finally overcome and get to a title. This title was not the championship, (although succeeded a record for best offensive productivity in the season), but theGreek Cup, the final of which AEL qualified for the third time.
The final against the 1985 championPAOK, has been recorded as one of the top performances in the history of AEL. The "crimsons" played "total" football, smashed with4–1[17] their opponents and eventually came to their first title. However, in the pregame of that fight a common point united the two teams...AEL and PAOK lined up before the referee Makis Germanakos without their two key players (left backNikos Patsiavouras and top scorerChristos Dimopoulos), since they both had already agreed to sign forPanathinaikos! As for the actual game, on 22 June 1985, on theAthens Olympic Stadium before 30,000 shared fans, AEL seemed to have the upper hand from the start, but completely dominated from the 19', when Vassilakos was expelled by direct red card (hitAdamczyk off-phase) and reached its first goal at 39' withZiogas, after an incredible attempt of the Polish striker. After the second half κick-offKmiecik wrote with perfect shot the 2–0 and although PAOK reduced to 55' withSkartados,Andrzej Strejlau's players finished the game at 73' withZiogas and 75' withValaoras, teaching modern football while creating a host of missed opportunities. The players who led AEL in its first title in its history were:Plitsis,Parafestas,Kolomitrousis,Galitsios,Mitsibonas,Voutiritsas,Ziogas,Kmiecik,Adamczyk, Andreoudis (87'Tsiolis)Valaoras.The first trophy that was raised to the sky ofAthens the previous evening by the team captainTakis Parafestas[18] entered the city the next day escorted by hundreds of cars.
Ambitious battles were waiting for AEL in Europe, but failed to proceed, against the famous ItalianSampdoria. Maybe tired, perhaps it still cost them so much the leaving of their "conductor", the belovedKazio for theStuttgart Kickers... His compatriotJanusz Kupcewicz, who replaced him, although came right from the best lineup of the1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, had injury problems and did not help as much as he could..At that time, the culmination of a transfer thriller, a player who was acquired by Toxotis Larissa and dressed in crimson, making his first professional steps and later called"the magician",Vassilis Karapialis. His own introduction, along with two to three other important events, painted the following year, the most indifferent season for AEL that decade. The assumption of command by Stelios Kantonias and the return ofJacek Gmoch in the technical leadership, were guarantees for the great offensive of the new season. No paint, but it was stronger than the black of mourning, which darkened the sky ofLarissa. 19 years old Vasilis Theodoridis, a PAOK supporter, an hour before the match hurled a fishing flare against the local fans stands which hit the unsuspecting Charalambos Blionas in the carotid arteries. The unfortunate professor died seconds later.[19][20] That day, on 26 October 1986, a grievous page was written in the history of Greek football and as though nothing is more important than the loss of a life, unequivocally just one year later, the city ofLarissa has experienced glorious times. The only team in the Greek region who ever sat on the throne.
The non-renewal of contracts ofParafestas andAndreoudis in the summer and the transfer ofPlitsis toOlympiacos in December, were options that were not accepted by the fans, but the success of the team in conjunction with the "rising star" ofKarapialis, minimized any opposition disposal. Especially when on 16 March 1988 the sports court announced the decision to remove 4 points from AEL because of the famous "doping case"[21][22] of theBulgarian striker (with very little participation in the championship),Georgi Tsingov. He was tested positive on the use of the substanceCodeine, which is not likely to improve the performance of an athlete at all.. Conspiracy theories quoted around about what really happened, the player claimed that had a flu, others that it was a sabotage. Nevertheless, the whole city ofLarissa rose up[23] and in no time created road blocks that cutGreece in two, claiming the right of what the team had won over the football field. The barricades on the national highway lasted 5 whole days until an intervention by the political leadership of sports. They took the decision to restore order, and change the article in question. From 21 March 1988, teams ceased to be considered responsible for each possible doping athlete. AEL however, was largely responsible for the... psychological doping of the fans, which then helped to overcome doubt and anxiety and get proudly in the 87th minute of the penultimate game of the season againstIraklis, when that incredible shot ofMitsibonas hurled into space the enthusiasm of the crowd. So far, AEL is the first and only regional team that won the Greek championship.
Somewhere there the countdown began. AEL was knocked hill, reached the top and had to start to go downhill. The circle of a large team had closed. Maybe ifXamax had not turned the match atNeuchâtel and not sent by 2–1 in the overtime and the unlucky for the "crimsons" penalty shootout,Champions League would held the name of AEL in its ledger, where reigns the amazing goal ofKarapialis which opened the score on the second leg ofSwitzerland. This was the last presence for AEL in the most prestigious club competition in European football. The fans still believed that the team could stay in the spotlight. The accident was for those who were blurred by the excitement of the moment, and believed that the team could climb even higher and soon demanded the change of ownership. From there, players leaving and coming, administrations changed without long term planning, independently of the intentions of everyone. The fact is that AEL gradually lost its credibility inside and outside stadiums and inevitably led eight years later, in May 1996, to the relegation which was spared in 1991, thanks to the amazing second round course. More generally, although great players such as lateLefter Millos, also unjustly shed,Ştefan Stoica, Paulo Da Silva,David Embé and Vangelis Tsoukalis, wore the shirt and tried to give the team its lost glory, failed nothing more than some effects—flickering, in a prescribed downward spiral that culminated with the painful return to theSecond Division after 18 years.
Worst of all, however, occurred on 13 September 1997, when the "eagle stopped flying".Giorgos Mitsibonas, the player-symbol of the team, the gifted and talented figure that marked a glorious era, was killed in a car accident, near the village ofGiannouli, 2 km outside ofLarissa. He was 35 and left behind his wife and two young daughters. Even if he was not by that time an active player of the team, (he was playing inTirnavos), the whole city said farewell along with him, to a large part of its passion for distinction and victory. The conscious efforts of local factors to keep the club standing were unsuccessful, the debts piled in between, and no one was able by this time, in the summer of 2001, to save the team. AEL fell for the first time in its history in theThird Division, and even threatened with disintegration, with relegation to the Regional Championship, and had to get to the bottom to lift its head again, taking advantage of the beneficial law of special clearance.
Summer of 2002 : AEL reaches the worst point in its history. Playing again in the third national, almost without administration and money. The team's preparation for the new season was held in the local Alcazar Park (a place with rustic picnic areas, benches and trails, totally unsuitable for professional football training),[24] near the city ofLarissa. The first game was held on 25 August 2002 inKalochori, Thessaloniki, against the local sideILTEX Lykoi. It was the 84th minute of the match, when the 2ndAssistant referee fell down after he was hit in the back, by an object that was thrown from the stands of the guest fans and was taken to the hospital. He claimed that he was unable to continue and the game never finished (The result was 1–1). The team was penalized with −3 points in the league table. Amateur players and volunteers were called to offer their services. The course was naturally very poor and the team risked with the relegation to the 4th National. Halfway through the season appeared on the scene the name of Nikos Sotiroulis, a local businessman who by that time was the club's one and only sponsor. Along with the unforgettable friend, the late Giorgos Katsogiannis and supporting factors of Amateur AEL predominantly Elias Fasoulas and Zissis Helidonis, he fought the first negative judgments and vindicated, when on 8 March 2003 he became the owner of the team with a cost of 116,000 euros in an auction that was held the previous day and in which he was the only candidate! The club a year later, was renamed to AEL 1964 FC (under the special conditions imposed by the law of special clearance) and celebrated its return to the second division. Some months before, on 1 June 2003, the team survived the relegation in the Fourth National and thereby dissolve, in the last game of the championship againstNiki Volos, winning 1–0. Although the most crucial and exciting match in the team's history was the one before, that was held inChania, where the "crimsons" tie 3–3 and stayed alive, condemning thehosts. The new period started then vigorously and with one and only target, the promotion, which was achieved after an exhausting marathon of 38 games...On 30 May 2004, atAlcazar, AEL sealed the second place and the ticket to the higher category (which was virtually and "ironically" ensured by the victory from 1–0 atILTEX Lykoi just a week before, in the same ground and almost two years after the incident with theAssistant referee), crashing with 5–1 the already "doomed" Pontiakos Nea Santa, while the chant "We are coming back" was rocking the crowded stadium. Coached byTakis Parafestas, with players such asKatsaras,Ziagkas,Kyparissis,Kehagias,Theodosiadis,Kontodimos,Lazorik,Paleologos, and a new upsurge of the fans that followed everywhere, the team persuaded that was really coming back . The one who left, and was the initiator and founder of this effort wasNikos Sotiroulis, who after a few days in mid-June 2004, gave way to the new owner and chairmanKostas Piladakis. A new era had begun.
And because "The morning shows the day", new management, technical leadership headed byGiorgos Donis, players like the effective strikerThomas Kyparissis and the presence of supporters that caused admiration throughout Greece, led AEL back again in theSuper League, after nine years of absence. The 19 transfers in the summer of 2004 radically changed the composition of the team and the equally young and ambitious coach had time to give the team the required homogeneity. The moderate start was treated by everyone in the club with patience and maturity, and the proper corrections made in January, found AEL "galloping" from success to success. The conquest of the first place with 58 points was the natural consequence of this team effort and the fans celebrated the return in theSuper League after 9 "stone" years, for almost 10 days! Starting from Sunday 15, of May 2005, inKastoria, (1–1) in front of 4000 away fans who accompanied the team's bus when returning, a car convoy of 5 km in length and a midnight party at Alcazar, to Wednesday 25, and the fiesta that was set up to the stadium for winning the title after beatingProodeftiki (3–1). ExceptKyparissis,Papakostas,Ziagkas,Paleologos,Floros andGrigoriou, who continued from the previous season, players such asChristopoulos,Kipouros, the lateBahramis,Gikas,Stournaras,Föerster,Katsiaros,Digozis,Tsiatsios,Makris,Abouna,Nedeljković,Sisic,Giorgos Passios,Chatziliontas,Galitsios and others, came to add their names to important pages in the team's history. Indeed, beside them, stood from summer until December 2004 the first Greek active scorerAlexis Alexandris and a well-known name in European football, theRomanian international midfielderDennis Şerban, who played in many major teams, top of which was the SpanishValencia. That same season, while in the 2nd Division, AEL reached to the "8" of theGreek Cup, having ruled in turnAcharnaikos,Apollon Athens, andChalkidona of the First Division, before being excluded from the "European"Skoda Xanthi, which nevertheless beat 1–0 in the first match of Alcazar, turning the rematch in real derby. It was the forerunner of the great return.
In the first year after its return to the big division, AEL did the "bang" bringing in the summer of 2005 directly from the English courts theUEFA Euro 2004 champion and former captain of theGreece national football team,Nikos Dabizas. A move that was made to shield the defense while sending the message that AEL did not return toSuper League just to participate in the league, but to star. Along with AEL returned also its supporters, giving impressive "presence" with tours admired throughoutGreece.Toumba,Kaftanzoglio,Pankritio,Kleanthis Vikelidis,Zosimades...Comfortably stayed 8th, and a European opportunity occurred throughIntertoto Cup, exploiting the weakness ofPAOK to fulfill the criteria[25] ofUEFA. A European return, with two games against theTurkishKayserispor[26][27] did not bring the coveted Cup Qualification toUEFA Cup (within 0–0 draw, and a 2–0 defeat inKayseri), but it was clearly an omen of a great European return, which was meant to be completed one year later. The2006–07 season was one of its most successful, but also one of the most controversial in the club's modern history. On the one AEL rose again to the throne ofGreek Cup Winners, and on the other flirted with relegation, eventually managing to secure salvation in the last matchday.
5 May 2007 is now a new landmark in the history of AEL 1964.Georgios Donis and his players brought the Cup "again inPineios" after 22 years, creating a new benchmark in the glorious march of the team. This is only 5 years after 2002, the lowest point in the club's history. This is the final certificate that AEL returned to the elite of Greek football. Cup in 1985, the 1988 Championship, and a Cup again in 2007 inVolos where the game'sMVPNikos Dabizas and the vice captain,Zissis Ziagkas lifted together the third major trophy in the team's history. Opponents againPanathinaikos for the third time in a cup final where the "crimsons" prevailed with 1–2.[28] The match was held in thePanthessaliko Stadium, insideThessalian "territory". AEL secured beside all other the European participation for the second consecutive year, this time in theUEFA Cup.Jozef Kožlej andHenry Antchouet, took the baton fromZiogas,Kmiecik andValaoras, signing with their own goals (who had the stamp ofGiorgos Fotakis) this new "golden" page. TheSlovakian striker opened the scoring in just the third minute with a perfect header following a free kick fromFotakis,Papadopoulos equalized with a penalty won byFöerster and masterfully executed in the 44th, however,Antchouet was the player who held the final. In the 83rd minute the "Gabonese Arrow" poured on the offensive after the exemplary deep ball ofFotakis and "thundered" the goalkeeperEbéde, writing the 1–2 that was meant to be the final score. The final whistle ofKyros Vassaras found over 10,000 fans of the team ecstatically singing "because we have lost our minds, this Cup is ours", giving rise to frantic celebration. The celebration began atPanthessaliko from the awarding of the trophy, continued toAlcazar which opened its gates to welcome the winners and ended in the Central Square ofLarissa shortly after midnight.[29][30][31]
AEL 1964 (Donis):Kotsolis,Galitsios,Venetidis,Dabizas,Föerster,Bassila,Silva Cleyton (85 'Vallas)Digozis,Aloneftis (74 'Kalantzis),Fotakis,Kožlej, (60 'Antchouet).
Panathinaikos (Muñoz):Ebéde,Vyntra,Nilsson, (84 'Šerić),Goumas,Morris,Leontiou,Tziolis (85 'Bišćan),Ninis (73 'Romero),Ivanschitz,Papadopoulos,Mantzios.
A week later the "crimsons" made the trip from Heaven to Hell and Heaven again within a 90-minute to ensure in the 81st minute with anOwn goal the victory inKalamaria with 2–1 against the localApollon, having at their side to support over 3000 fans and putting "happy endings" in a difficult and successful year.[32]
The new season started with the best omens. AEL as the Cup Winner, representedGreece in theUEFA Cup and the draw brought its technical leader,Giorgos Donis, faced with the club in which he started his international football career, EnglishBlackburn Rovers. AEL entered the first qualifying round as the clear underdog, but on the afternoon of 20 September 2007 at thePanthessaliko Stadium—afterAlcazar did not comply to theUEFA specifications—radically subverted the data: won 2–0 in the first match[33] and lost 2–1 in the second game[34] ofEwood Park and took a proud qualification to the group stage. In the "32" AEL faced powerful teams likeEverton with a long tradition in thePremier League, rising DutchAZ Alkmaar, GermanNürnberg and the subsequent2008 UEFA Cup winners mighty RussianZenit Saint Petersburg. The team failed to pick a point in the four games, but won the respect that was confirmed by great European coaches, which AEL found opposite in this journey asLouis van Gaal[35] andDick Advocaat.[36][37] Liberated from the burden of European obligations and with the assistance of world class players likeMaciej Żurawski andTümer Metin—AEL made an excellent championship course in the second round of the Super League and lost by one goal tie withPanionios 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 in2008–09 one of the most successful years in its modern history. Stayed for13 consecutive undefeated matches, finished fifth in the Super League and ensured its entry into the play-offs and a European output (in theUEFA 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 inKaftanzoglioIraklis for the first time since 1982 andOlympiacos inKaraiskakis Stadium after 26 years.[38]
From that point the countdown started again, which two years later brought back AEL in thesecond 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 weakIcelandicKR Reykjavík[39][40]because of, mainly, the poor squad and preparation in the summer of 2009 brought the first clouds. The unexpected death of the lateMexican strikerAntonio de Nigris on 16 November[41][42][43][44] 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 ofMarinos Ouzounidis)[45] and achieving 5 wins in the last 7 games of the season. The prospect of the entry into the new stadium (theAEL 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.[46] The transition from the historicAlcazar Stadium into the newly builtAEL FC Arena in late November—early December 2010, was not made in the way that every fan had hoped and dreamed of. Two defeats byPanionios, (0–1) andPAOK (1–2), spoiled the festive atmosphere,[47] but above all it was the shadow of arbitration that created a bleak future again. Grossly injusticed over the first half of the season (for nearly 13 games!)[48] with catalytic decisions that shaped scores and results, AEL had an unequal fight until the end—changing coaching and trying to strengthen the squad[49] but finally relented. Even the most pessimistic would hardly imagine at the beginning of that year that AEL in a new stadium and with star-players (Dabizas,Venetidis,Cousin,Canobbio,Metin,TavlaridisČontofalský,Pancrate) would finish in the penultimate position and eventually relegate. But the harsh reality was obliging the "crimsons" in a new Calvary, for which they were not themselves responsible, at least not entirely. The revelation of thematch fixing scandal that occurred in the early summer of 2011[50] was only moral justification for the club and nothing more. After a barrage of outright decisions and scandalous implementation of sports legislation by the "Professional Sports Committee" and theHellenic Football Federation, with selective application of regulations[51] that was completed after almost six months(!) in October,[52] the club remained in theFootball League.
After the club's relegation and a final attempt to vindicate without much effort,Piladakis began building the team that would return immediately in theSuper League. He hired the experienced and reputable coach in the English groundsChris Coleman[53] and along with him players of International range likeZequinha, the famousPortuguese midfielderLuís Boa Morte, theBrazilian wingerCésinha and many others. The course of the team in the 2011–12 season started with the best omens, but soon all would be reversed. Financial problems that piled, appeared again and eventually led the coach[54] and many of the players to the exit. Rupture between the owner and the organized fans substantially undermined the future of the team.[55]Piladakis resigned[56] and the club without any administration and financial support, deliberately relegated in the 3rd Division. A move that is used by many football teams inGreece and was based in a financial law (special clearance),[57] made to ensure the deletion of the previous debts, as teams that competing in the 3rd Category are considered amateur.[58]
In the summer of 2013, Evangelos Plexidas,[59] a local businessman fromTrikala took over and promised immediate return. Although the team indeed promoted relatively easily from the 3rd category and also won theGreek 3rd Category Cup, and the2013–14 Amateurs' Super Cup many incorrect choices about the team's administration and management were not accepted by the fans.[60] The changing of 6 coaches in a single season (2014–15)[61] and the leaving of almost 15 players (although the team managed to participate in the Football League Play-Offs but failed to promote), created again a poor situation that led the major shareholder in the decision to sell the majority stake of his shares toAlexis Kougias,[62] a well-knownGreek lawyer and football administrator in July 2015.
A year later, on 15 May 2016, the team finally gained the promotion into theSuper League. In clear contrast with the last time, however, there was little enthusiasm among the fans, as Kougias, a widely divisive figure in Greek society, had longtime conflicts with them as well as the local community and veterans of the team. The first season back in top flight was a difficult one, with 3 managers employed :Sakis Tsiolis left almost immediately after the club's promotion on 2 June 2016, only to return five months later and replaceAngelos Anastasiadis who took over after him the previous summer. He managed to keep his place on the bench until 21 March 2017, when he resigned for personal reasons. Thus, despite relative financial stability the team struggled on and off the pitch, yet managed to keep its top flight status by finishing 13th, just above the relegation places. After one match coached by caretakerTheodoros Voutiritsas,Alexis Kougias hired theDutchAndré Paus, that managed to stay for seven games in the club's bench. On 14 September 2017Belgian managerJacky Mathijssen was announced and signed for the rest of the season. Despite that, 11 Days later and after only three games (0–0 home draw withAtromitos a 4–1 away loss againstPanionios and a 2–0 loss againstPanathinaikos for theGreek Cup) he was fired.[63]Ilias Fyntanis, the club's previous assistant coach returned as a caretaker andKougias hired the 3rd manager for the ongoing season,Apostolos Mantzios.[64] A day later,Mantzios announced that due to serious personal reasons he cannot take over.Ilias Fyntanis took over as the club's manager, and succeeded to make the team showing a more stable performance. Despite that, on 20 February 2018 he was fired once again and was replaced by theSerbianRatko Dostanić that had coached the team in the season 2015–16 in the Football League. Ηowever, this new deal did not last for long. In Fact, only three games later,Dostanić resigned after a serious disagreement with the club's owner.Kougias hired the 42-year-oldSotiris Antoniou, himself originating fromAgia, Larissa. He made hisSuper League managerial debut on 1 April 2018, on a 3–0 away defeat againstApollon Smyrnis. The team showed little improvement in the league but still avoided relegation relatively easily. They were also very close to qualification for the club's fifth cup final, but a last-minute goal for semifinal opponentsAEK Athens send them through instead on theaway goals rule.
The emblem of the club is a wild rising horse (same as the symbol of the city), believed to be an ancient thessalian-breed[65] horse likeAlexander the Great'sBucephalus.[66][67]
The team's colours have been crimson and white since the formation of the club in 1964.
First
         1964–65 |      1967–68 |     1987–88 |     1991–92 |      1995–96 |  2003–04 |     2008–09 |     2009–10 |    2010–11 |   2014–15 |    2018–19 |
Alternative
     1975–76 |    1978–79 |    1980–81 |  1994–95 |   1995–96 |   1996–97 |     2006–07 |      2009–10 |     2010–11 |   2016–17 |    2018–19 |
AEL FC Arena[68] is the home ground of AEL. It is aUEFA 3-star rated stadium and has aseating capacity of 17,118 all covered but it can expeand to 33,000 making it the third largest Stadium in Greece. As well as functioning as a football stadium, Arena also operates as a conference centre and music venue. Actual construction of the stadium lasted 14 months, beginning in September 2009 and ended in late November 2010. From May 2013 until September 2015, the team played its home games in the oldAlcazar Stadium, due to economic disputes concerning the rent of the stadium between the owning company (Gipedo Larissa AE) and the precedent chairman,Evangelos Plexidas.[69][70] On 22 July 2015, the club's former major shareholderAlexis Kougias promised in an interview that the team will return and compete for the season 2015–16 in theArena. Indeed, on 26 August 2015, there was an agreement and an official announcement of the new season's tickets for the stadium.[71] The team competed inAEL FC Arena for five years, (until July 2020) when new financial disagreements and tensions arose, this time betweenKougias and the owning company of the stadium. This led to the team leavingAEL FC Arena once again and returning to a fully renovatedAlkazar that was scheduled to host the club's games for the next two seasons.[72][73] On 26 July 2023, there was an official announcement from the club's new owner Achilleas Davelis, that the team will compete once and for all inAEL FC Arena.
AEL has its own training facilities in the area of the village Dendra, near to the town ofTyrnavos. Those facilities cover over 30,000 square meters, have multisport purposes for all of the team's athletes and among the others include:[74]
Monsters is the largest AEL FC supporters club. The first attempt to organise the team's supporters was made on 31 March 1982 during the game againstDiagoras 30 fans that belonged to the older but old-fashioned club Ierolochites gathered in the Gate D of the oldAlcazar Stadium that was meant to be the legendaryGate-1 afterwards. Monsters club was formed as an idea of having a true and passionate support to the team without restrictions or boundaries.[75]
The fans tend to use various styles and sizes of banners and flags bearing the name and symbols of their club and have been following the team since the first day everywhere in Greece and Europe.
Monsters have a strong relationship with German team1. FC Nürnberg's supporter's club called Ultras Nürnberg 1994[76] or just UN-94. Fans of both clubs often lift banners and create choreography in support of the fellow teams.[77]
S.F. Alkazar[78] (Greek: Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Αλκαζάρ) is the second biggest club of AEL supporters.
Giannis Galitsios(399)Giannis Valaoras(73)All records, counted for theSuper League and former Alpha Ethniki championships.
The 1988 Championship line-up and the 1985, 2007 Cup winning line-ups:
Galitsios (c) 1988 Greek Championship most common starting lineup(4–4–2) |
Parafestas (c) 1985 Greek Cup Final starting lineup vs.PAOK(4–3–3) |
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Kobe Bryant,Shooting guard (2020) – posthumous honour
Mathías Acuña,Forward (2021-2022) – posthumous honourNote: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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EU nationals | Dual citizenship | Non-EU nationals
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Senior | Under-21 | Under-18 | Under-16
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Alexi Petrović (1 July 1964 – 30 June 1965) Dionysis Minardos (1 July 1965 – 30 June 1966) Alexandros Vogas (1 July 1966 – 30 June 1967) Giourkas Seitaridis (1 July 1967 – 30 June 1968) Lefteris Papadakis (1 July 1968 – 1969) Theodoros Sirganis (1969) Giannis Helmis (1969) Theodoros Sirganis (1969–70) Apostolos Chabibis (1970) Christos Kletsas (1970) Kostas Ziogas (1970) Giorgos Tsalopoulos (1970)Kostas Polychroniou (1970 – 30 June 1972) Stevan Karanfilović (1 July 1972 – 30 June 1973)
Ivan Kochev (1 July 1973 – 30 June 1974)Dan Georgiadis (1 July 1974 – 1975) Ivan Kochev (1975) Lakis Progios (1975)
Horacio Morales (1975)Nikos Alefantos (1975) Horacio Morales (1975–76) Giorgos Petridis (1976) Giorgos Tsalopoulos (1976)Antonis Georgiadis (1976–77) Vangelis Balopoulos (1977) Pavlos Grigoriadis (1977) Giannis Zafiropoulos (1977 – 30 June 1978)
Milan Ribar (1 July 1978 – 30 June 1979)Kostas Polychroniou (1 July 1979 – 30 June 1980)Antonis Georgiadis (1 July 1980 – 30 June 1982)
Jacek Gmoch (1 July 1982 – 30 June 1983)
Walter Skocik (1 July 1983 – 30 June 1984)Andrzej Strejlau (1 July 1984 – 31 March 1986) Nikolaos Tsiakos (1 April 1986 – 30 June 1986)Jacek Gmoch (1 July 1986 – 2 May 1988) Horacio Morales (3 May 1988 – 30 June 1988)
Vladimír Táborský (1 July 1988 – 30 June 1989)Marcin Bochynek (1 July 1989 – 18 October 1990)Nikos Alefantos (25 October 1990 – 3 December 1990)Hristo Bonev (6 December 1990 – 30 June 1993)Jacek Gmoch (1 July 1993 – 1 November 1993) Sotiris Koukouthakis (2 November 1993 – 8 November 1993)Christos Archontidis (9 November 1993 – 30 June 1994)Vassilis Daniil (1 July 1994 – 30 June 1995)Ioannis Matzourakis (1 July 1995 – 5 October 1995) Kostas Siavalas & Leonidas Efstathiou (6 October 1995 – 17 October 1995)Andreas Michalopoulos (18 October 1995 – 30 June 1996)Giorgos Foiros (1 July 1996 – 27 January 1997) Kostas Siavalas & Dimitris Simeonidis (28 January 1997 – 13 February 1997)Christos Archontidis (14 February 1997 – 3 March 1997) Kostas Siavalas & Dimitris Simeonidis (4 March 1997 – 30 June 1997)Kazimierz Kmiecik (1 July 1997 – 10 November 1997) Zoran Babović (13 November 1997 – 21 December 1998) Nikos Argyroulis (24 December 1998 – 26 April 1999) Paris Meintanis (27 April 1999 – 11 May 1999) Leonidas Efstathiou (12 May 1999 – 30 June 1999)Stavros Diamantopoulos (1 July 1999 – 29 August 1999) Nebojša Ličanin (30 August 1999 – 7 February 2000)Takis Parafestas (8 February 2000 – 30 June 2000) Nikos Argyroulis (1 July 2000 – 26 November 2000) Giannis Alexoulis (27 November 2000 – 12 February 2001)Michalis Ziogas (13 February 2001 – 30 June 2001) Vangelis Vouroukos (1 July 2001 – 7 March 2002) Kostas Siavalas (8 March 2002 – 30 June 2002) Takis Sourlatzis (1 July 2002 – 8 September 2002) Christos Gatas (9 September 2002 – 23 February 2003) Horacio Morales (24 February 2003 – 31 March 2003)Takis Parafestas (1 April 2003 – 30 June 2004)Georgios Donis (1 July 2004 – 24 April 2008)Marinos Ouzounidis (1 July 2008 – 22 February 2010)Giannis Papakostas (23 February 2010 – 29 November 2010) Kostas Katsaras (caretaker) (30 November 2010 – 16 December 2010)
Jørn Andersen (17 December 2010 – 9 January 2011)Nikos Kostenoglou (10 January 2011 – 30 June 2011)
Chris Coleman (1 July 2011 – 9 January 2012) Nikos Kotsovos (caretaker) (10 January 2012 – 16 January 2012)
Božidar Bandović (17 January 2012 – 30 January 2012)Nikos Kehagias (31 January 2012 – 20 March 2012)Michalis Ziogas (21 March 2012 – 8 January 2013)Timos Kavakas (9 January 2013 – 30 June 2013) Kostas Panagopoulos (12 August 2013 – 10 November 2013) Giorgos Strantzalis (12 November 2013 – 8 March 2014)Panagiotis Tzanavaras (9 March 2014 – 30 June 2014)Alekos Vosniadis (1 July 2014 – 5 September 2014) Kostas Panagopoulos (6 September 2014 – 1 November 2014)Thomas Grafas (2 November 2014 – 23 December 2014)Sakis Anastasiadis (caretaker) (24 December 2014 – 5 January 2015)Panagiotis Tzanavaras (6 January 2015 – 7 March 2015)Soulis Papadopoulos (8 March 2015 – 30 June 2015)Ratko Dostanić (10 July 2015 – 22 February 2016)Sakis Tsiolis (23 February 2016 – 2 June 2016)Angelos Anastasiadis (8 June 2016 – 31 October 2016)Sakis Tsiolis (1 November 2016 – 21 March 2017)Theodoros Voutiritsas (caretaker) (22 March 2017 – 2 April 2017)
André Paus (3 April 2017 – 12 September 2017)
Jacky Mathijssen (14 September 2017 – 25 September 2017)Ilias Fyntanis (26 September 2017 – 19 February 2018)Ratko Dostanić (20 February 2018 – 10 March 2018)Sotiris Antoniou (12 March 2018 – 22 September 2018)
Gianluca Festa (24 September 2018 – 30 June 2019)Gordan Petrić (1 July 2019 – 8 August 2019)Michalis Grigoriou (9 August 2019 – 22 November 2020)Giannis Tatsis (23 November 2020 – 20 January 2021)Gianluca Festa (21 January 2021 – 9 May 2021)Michalis Ziogas (caretaker) (10 May 2021 – 23 May 2021)Kostas Frantzeskos (24 May 2021 – 13 October 2021)Ilias Fyntanis (14 October 2021 – 22 December 2021)Panagiotis Goutsidis (23 December 2021 – 28 April 2022)Sotiris Antoniou (3 May 2022 – 18 July 2022)Panagiotis Goutsidis (18 July 2022 – 23 December 2022)Giannis Taousianis (23 December 2022 – 14 March 2023)Panagiotis Goutsidis (14 March 2023 – 2 October 2023)Pavlos Dermitzakis (7 October 2023 — 17 September 2024)Alekos Vosniadis (18 September 2024 — 15 April 2025)| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–82 | Balkans Cup | 1st Round |  17 Nëntori Tirana | 3–1 | 0–3 | 3–4 |
| 1983–84 | UEFA Cup | 1st Round |  Budapest Honvéd | 2–0 | 0–3 (a.e.t.) | 2–3 |
| 1984–85 | UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 1st Round | Siófok Bányász SK | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| 2nd Round |  Servette FC | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | ||
| Quarterfinal |  Dynamo Moscow | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | ||
| 1985–86 | 1st Round | Sampdoria | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | |
| 1988–89 | European Cup | 1st Round | Neuchâtel Xamax | 2–1 | 1–2 (0–3p) | 3–3 |
| 2006 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | 3rd Round |  Kayserispor | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 |
| 2007–08 | UEFA Cup | 1st Round |  Blackburn Rovers | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 |
| Group Stage (Group A) | Everton | – | 1–3 | 5th | ||
 Zenit St. Petersburg | 2–3 | – | ||||
| AZ Alkmaar | – | 0–1 | ||||
 1. FC Nürnberg | 1–3 | – | ||||
| 2009–10 | UEFA Europa League | 2nd Qual. Round |  KR Reykjavík | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
As of 26 May 2021[82]
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 246 |  Maccabi Tel Aviv | 4 |
| 247 | AEL | 3 |
| 248 |  Dinamo Tbilisi | 3 |
| Season | Tier | League | Rank | Win–Draw–Lost | Goals | Points | Biggest Win | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964–65 | II | Beta Ethniki | 5th | 15–4–11 | 34–30 | 64 | AEL 4–0Apollon Larissa | — |
| 1965–66 | 3rd | 15–9–6 | 39–30 | 69 | AEL 4–2Chalkida | — | ||
| 1966–67 | 10th | 10–10–12 | 38–45 | 62 | AEL 4–0Kozani | — | ||
| 1967–68 | 14th | 9–8–13 | 33–42 | 55 | AEL 5–3Lamia | 1R | ||
| 1968–69 | 17th | 11–4–19 | 37–43 | 60 | AEL 5–0Edessaikos | — | ||
| 1969–70 | 13th | 9–11–14 | 34–45 | 63 | AEL 3–0 Orestis Orestiada | — | ||
| 1970–71 | 4th | 15–15–4 | 39–25 | 79 | AEL 4–0 Aris Agios Konstantinos | 1R | ||
| 1971–72 | 2nd | 26–6–6 | 71–25 | 96 | AEL 5–0Makedonikos | 1R | ||
| 1972–73 | 1st ↑ | 27–6–5 | 68–19 | 98 | Petralona 0–5AEL | 1R | ||
| 1973–74 | I | Alpha Ethniki | 9th | 11–10–13 | 31–40 | 32 | AEL 3–1Apollon Athens | 3R |
| 1974–75 | 18th ↓ | 5–7–22 | 24–59 | 17 | AEL 4–1Kastoria | 3R | ||
| 1975–76 | II | Beta Ethniki | 5th | 15–12–11 | 58–42 | 42 | AEL 5–1Xanthi | 3R |
| 1976–77 | 3rd | 19–8–11 | 63–40 | 46 | AEL 6–0Panthrakikos | 1R | ||
| 1977–78 | 1st ↑ | 25–9–4 | 58–17 | 59 | Makedonikos 1–4AEL | 3R | ||
| 1978–79 | I | Alpha Ethniki | 12th | 15–5–19 | 34–53 | 29 | AEL 2–0Panserraikos | 1R |
| 1979–80 | 8th | 13–8–13 | 33–44 | 34 | AEL 3–0Iraklis | QF | ||
| 1980–81 | 6th | 14–9–11 | 42–40 | 37 | AEL 6–2Kastoria | 1R | ||
| 1981–82 | 10th | 12–7–15 | 40–38 | 31 | AEL 8–2Kavala | RU | ||
| 1982–83 | 2nd | 18–9–7 | 54–27 | 45 | AEL 5–1Ethnikos Piraeus | 1R | ||
| 1983–84 | 6th | 13–6–11 | 28–29 | 32 | AEL 3–0Ethnikos Piraeus | RU | ||
| 1984–85 | 6th | 14–7–9 | 55–35 | 35 | AEL 5–0Panionios | W | ||
| 1985–86 | 8th | 12–6–12 | 36–31 | 30 | AEL 3–0OFI | 1R | ||
| 1986–87 | 9th | 10–5–15 | 24–31 | 25 | AEL 3–1OFI | QF | ||
| 1987–88 | 1st | 18–7–5 | 51–22 | 43 | Veria 2–5AEL | SF | ||
| 1988–89 | 6th | 10–14–6 | 37–34 | 34 | AEL 4–0Panionios | SF | ||
| 1989–90 | 8th | 12–10–12 | 35–38 | 34 | AEL 3–0Apollon Kalamaria | QF | ||
| 1990–91 | 12th | 10–9–15 | 38–46 | 29 | Giannina 0–3AEL | QF | ||
| 1991–92 | 8th | 11–9–14 | 40–46 | 31 | AEL 4–0Panionios | GS | ||
| 1992–93 | 7th | 11–10–13 | 36–42 | 43 | AEL 5–2Panachaiki | QF | ||
| 1993–94 | 10th | 11–9–14 | 45–53 | 42 | AEL 5–0Panionios | QF | ||
| 1994–95 | 11th | 11–7–16 | 41–46 | 40 | AEL 6–1Xanthi | QF | ||
| 1995–96 | 16th ↓ | 9–7–18 | 32–64 | 37 | AEL 4–1Panachaiki | 2R | ||
| 1996–97 | II | Beta Ethniki | 6th | 15–10–9 | 44–32 | 55 | AEL 5–2Apollon Kalamaria | 2R |
| 1997–98 | 9th | 11–13–10 | 37–42 | 46 | AEL 3–0Edessaikos | 1R | ||
| 1998–99 | 8th | 13–7–14 | 45–47 | 46 | AEL 4–1Apollon Kalamaria | 3R | ||
| 1999–00 | 6th | 16–7–11 | 55–39 | 55 | Anagennisi Karditsa 1–7AEL | GS | ||
| 2000–01 | 15th ↓ | 8–6–16 | 28–41 | 30 | AEL 2–0Panelefsiniakos | GS | ||
| 2001–02 | III | Gamma Ethniki | 7th | 12–6–12 | 37–34 | 42 | AEL 4–1Ethnikos Piraeus | GS |
| 2002–03 | 15th | 11–13–14 | 33–40 | 43 | AEL 3–0Chania | 1R | ||
| 2003–04 | 2nd ↑ | 24–5–9 | 58–34 | 77 | AEL 5–1 Pontiakos Nea Santa | 1R | ||
| 2004–05 | II | Beta Ethniki | 1st ↑ | 17–7–6 | 56–25 | 58 | AEL 6–0Atromitos | QF |
| 2005–06 | I | Alpha Ethniki | 8th | 10–9–11 | 31–37 | 39 | AEL 4–1Apollon Kalamaria | SF |
| 2006–07 | Super League | 10th | 9–9–12 | 30–38 | 36 | AEL 3–0Ionikos | W | |
| 2007–08 | 6th | 11–12–7 | 35–30 | 45 | AEL 5–1OFI | QF | ||
| 2008–09 | 5th | 12–13–5 | 36–26 | 49 | AEL 3–0Thrasyvoulos | 5R | ||
| 2009–10 | 8th | 10–7–13 | 31–42 | 37 | Panionios 0–3AEL | 4R | ||
| 2010–11 | 14th ↓ | 5–10–15 | 29–47 | 25 | AEL 3–0Xanthi | 5R | ||
| 2011–12 | II | Football League | 10th | 11–10–13 | 38–29 | 43 | AEL 5–2 Anagennisi Epanomi | 4R |
| 2012–13 | 9th ↓ | 16–15–9 | 42–25 | 63 | AEL 5–0Fokikos | 3R | ||
| 2013–14 | III | Gamma Ethniki | 1st ↑ | 23–4–3 | 87–14 | 73 | AEL 6–0Keravnos Thesprotiko | — |
| 2014–15 | II | Football League | 2nd | 14–3–7 | 27–11 | 45 | AEL 4–0Ethnikos Serres | 1R |
| 2015–16 | 1st ↑ | 24–6–4 | 49–15 | 78 | AEL 3–0AO Chania | 2R | ||
| 2016–17 | I | Super League | 13th | 6–10–14 | 23–42 | 28 | AEL 2–0Panionios | GS |
| 2017–18 | 12th | 7–10–13 | 22–41 | 31 | AEL 4–2Panetolikos | SF | ||
| 2018–19 | 10th | 8–10–12 | 26–34 | 34 | AEL 4–2Panionios | 5R | ||
| 2019–20 | 9th | 8–12–13 | 32–42 | 36 | AEL 3–0Xanthi | 5R | ||
| 2020–21 | 14th ↓ | 6–9–18 | 25–47 | 27 | Apollon Smyrni 0–2AEL | 1R | ||
| 2021–22 | II | Super League 2 | 2nd | 19–10–3 | 42–15 | 67 | AEL 4–0Xanthi | 6R |
| 2022–23 | 2nd | 18-4-6 | 50-19 | 58 | AEL 5–0Diagoras Rhodes | 5R | ||
| 2023–24 | 2nd | 16-11-3 | 48-26 | 59 | AEL 3–0AEK Athens B | 6R | ||
| 2024-25 | II | Super League 2 | ? |
Key: 1R = First Round, 2R = Second Round, 3R = Third Round, 4R = Fourth Round, 5R = Fifth Round, 6R = Sixth Round, GS = Group Stage, QF = Quarter-finals, SF = Semi-finals, RU = Runner-up, W = Winner.
*including 2024-25
| Tier | League | Seasons | Games | Win | Draw | Lost | Goals | GD | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1st division | 31 | 997 | 332 | 272 | 394 | 1,076–1,244 | –168 | 33.30 |
| details | Super League | 10 | 306 | 82 | 102 | 123 | 289–389 | –100 | 26.80 |
| Alpha Ethniki(defunct) | 21 | 691 | 250 | 170 | 271 | 787–855 | –68 | 36.17 | |
| 2nd | 2nd division | 26 | 832 | 394 | 211 | 227 | 1,133–769 | +364 | 47.36 |
| details | Super League 2 | 4 | 90 | 53 | 25 | 12 | 140–60 | +80 | 58.88 |
| Football League(defunct) | 4 | 132 | 65 | 34 | 33 | 156–80 | +76 | 49.24 | |
| Beta Ethniki(defunct) | 18 | 610 | 276 | 152 | 182 | 837–629 | +208 | 45.24 | |
| 3rd | Gamma Ethniki | 4 | 136 | 70 | 28 | 38 | 215–122 | +93 | 51.47 |
(Leagues created in Greece in 1962-63)[83]
As of July 2009[84]
| Competition | Seasons | Games | Win | Draw | Lost | Goals | GD | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balkans Cup | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3–4 | –1 | 50.00 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7–5 | +2 | 37.50 |
| UEFA Champions League | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3–3 | 0 | 50.00 |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0–2 | –2 | 0.00 |
| UEFA Cup | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7–12 | –5 | 25.00 |
| UEFA Europa League | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1–3 | –2 | 0.00 |
| Total | 8 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 21–29 | –8 | 29.16 |
| Executive Board | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Achilleas Davelis |
| President | Achilleas Davelis |
| Deputy President | Giannis Davelis |
| Chief Εxecutive Οfficer | Konstantinos Kotarelas |
| Vice-President | Thanasis Davelis |
| Board Member | Dimitris Papalexis |
| Chief Financial Officer | Tasos Christakopoulos |
| Marketing & PR Manager | Apostolis Dailianis |
| Security Μanager | Giannis Kotroutsos |
| Amateur AEL President | Lampros Ioakim |
| Press Representative | Christos Gatzoulis |
| Contractors | |
| Ticket Manager | Kostas Kontos |
| First Team Staff | |
| Head coach | Stelios Malezas |
| Assistant coach | Georgios Ketikidis |
| Goalkeepers coach | Vasilios Kliafas |
| Fitness coach | Konstantinos Stateroudis |
| Rehabilitation trainer | Vasilios Mitakos |
| Team Manager | Giannis Stathis |
| General Director | Evripidis Tsimpanakos |
| Sports Director & Chief Scout |  TBA |
| Scout | Sokratis Boudouris |
| Head Doctor | Giorgos Basdekis |
| Head Physiotherapist | Dimitris Kretsavos |
| Physiotherapist | Dimosthenis Pitsilkas |
| Physiotherapist | Anastasios Paparsenos |
| Caretaker | Kostas Tsareas |
| Youth Teams & Academy Coaching Staff | |
| Academy technical Director | TBA |
| Academy goalkeeping coach | Charis Minogiannis |
| Academy Fitness coach | Iraklis Mantziokas |
| Academy Dietitian Nutritionist | Katerina Tsolaki |
| Academy Psychologist | Dora Tzatzaki |
| Academy General Scout | Nikos Argyroulis |
| U-19 Head coach | Giorgos Kamakas |
| U-19 Assistant coach | Apostolos Katsianos |
| U-17 Head coach | Konstantinos Nebegleras |
| U-17 Fitness coach | Dimitris Kostomitsopoulos |
| U-15 head coach | Christos Liapis |
| Caretaker | Spyros Theocharidis |
At the founding of the club and under the administration of a 15-member council, composed of club representatives and organizations of the city, Konstantinos Tzovaridis was appointed as the first president. The current president, Achilleas Ntavelis, is AEL's 31st president with several presidents having multiple spells in office (counted separately.)
| No. | President | Years | Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Konstantinos Tzovaridis | 1964–1966 | |
| 2 | D. Paliouras | 1966–1967 | |
| 3 | K. Kostarelos | 1967 | |
| 4 | L. Daniil | 1967–1968 | |
| 5 | D. Karanastasis | 1968–1969 | |
| 6 | Nikolaos Gretsis | 1969–1970 | |
| 7 | Athanasios Hasiotis | 1970–1971 | |
| 8 | Antonis Kantonias | 1971–1973 |
|
| 9 | Michalis Kittas | 1973–1975 | |
| 10 | Ilias Kelesidis | 1975–1977 | |
| 11 | Stavros Tourlakopoulos | 1977–1979 |
|
| 12 | Antonis Kantonias | 1979–1980 | |
| 13 | Simos Paleochorlidis | 1980–1982 |
|
| 14 | Adamos Tsiachas | 1982–1984 |
|
| 15 | Kostas Samaras | 1984–1986 |
|
| 16 | Stelios Kantonias | 1986–1990 |
|
| 17 | Kostas Samaras | 1990–1993 | |
| 18 | Nikos Papanikolaou | 1993–1999 | |
| 19 | Giorgos Batatoudis | 1999–2001 | |
| 20 | Giorgos Adamopoulos | 2001–2002 | |
| 21 | AEL Amateurs | 2002–2003 | |
| 22 | Nikos Sotiroulis | 2003–2004 |
|
| 23 | Kostas Piladakis | 2004–2013 |
|
| 24 | Evangelos Plexidas | 2013–2015 |
|
| 25 | Alexis Kougias | 2015–2016 |
|
| 26 | Andreas Liontos | 2016–2018 | |
| 27 | Sotiris Markou | 2018–2020 | |
| 28 | Alexis Kougias | 2020–2021 | |
| 29 | Grigoris Prezerakos | 2021 | |
| 30 | Alexis Kougias | 2021–2022 | |
| 31 | Achilleas Ntavelis | 2022– |
|
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