AEK Larnaca

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AEK was formed on the 18th of July, 1994. It was the result of the merger of two old club, EPA Larnaca and Pezoporikos.

Pezoporikos was founded in 1924. In 1926, retired members of Pezoporikos created an organization called the "Athletic Education Larnaca Club" (Greek: AMOL; Athletikos Morphotikos Omilo Larnakas, Athlitikos Morfotikos Omilos Larnakas). In 1932, the two clubs were combined through the creation of EPA Larnaca (Greek: Enosis Pezoporikou AMOL, Enosis Pezoporikou AMOL). However, in 1937 , a group of players and members of EPA quit and formed Pezoporikos. After a few decades, in 1994 the two clubs joined and renamed AEK Larnaca.

EPA participated in 50 games within the First Division. winning the championship at three occasions (1945 the following year, then 1946 and 1970) as well as Five times, and the Cypriot Cup (1945, 1946 1950, 1953, and 1955) and also it was the shield for CFA (1955). The season 1970-71 took part in the Alpha Ethniki of Greece and was represented in three European competitions.

Pezoporikos was part of 49 teams within the First Division. They winning two championships (1954 and 1988) and one Cypriot Cup (1970). The club also made 3 appearances at European tournaments.

In addition to football, both clubs also had athletic departments. The decision and efforts to join was taken to create in Larnaca an elite sports team which was competitive in all sports (football basketball, volleyball, football, etc.) and wouldn't have financial issues.

After the merger of Pezoporikos as well as EPA, AEK replaced Pezoporikos in the first division (EPA was relegated in the previous period of its existence). The first time it participated in the championship, 1994-95 season AEK placed 9th spot. In the 1995-96 season, it took the 4th position. Along with APOEL they had the top defence in all of the League, with 21 goals conceded. The Cypriot Cup 1995-96 the club reached the finals, but they fell to APOEL.

But, since APOEL was the champion and played at the time of 1996/97 UEFA Cup, the finalists of the Cypriot Cup, AEK represented Cyprus in the 1996-97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. In the first round, AEK been playing against Armenian Club Kotayk Abovyan. The first game took place at the stadium in Armenia (8 august 1996) and AEK fell by 1-0. The second match was played in the New GSZ Stadium on 22 August 1996, with AEK beating 5-0, and progressing into the first round of the tournament. This round AEK received a draw to take on Barcelona. The first match (12 September, 1996) was played at the Barcelona Olympic Stadium where Spanish team took 2-0 victory. The second game was played in the GSZ Stadium (26 September 1996) and both teams were in a tie 0-0, and the Spanish team was able to qualify. Barcelona made it to the final and took home the trophy.

In 1996, shortly prior to the start of the 1996-97 campaign, AEK as the finalist in the Cypriot Cup, played against league winners in a match for the shield of CFA and lost by 1-0. The 1996-97 season saw AEK was again fourth and advanced to Cypriot Cup semi-finals. It was followed by 5th place in 1997-98 and then 4th place in the following season in 1998-99.

Three consecutive seasons 1999-00, 2000-01, as well as 2001-02 AEK ended up in seventh position. In the 1999-00 season, The Cypriot Cup reached the semi-finals and 2002-03 was in 8th position.

This season of 2003-2004 was significant to the story of this team. It was also the year that they it was the first time they were able to win a trophy. While the league ended in 9th position, the Cyprus Cup 2003-04 reached the final where they beat AEL Limassol at the GSP stadium with a score of 1-1. The win provided the chance to play the second time in a European competition which was for the season 2004-2005 UEFA Cup. In the second round of qualifying of the competition, AEK faced Maccabi Petah Tikva. The first match was played on the 12th of August, 2004 at the GSP stadium, where AEK beat Maccabi 3-1. But the initial match score did not suffice to earn them a place in the Cyprus team. In the rematch with Israel, AEK lost 4-0 which meant they were eliminated from the next stage of this tournament.

In 2004 the year 2004 as a cup winner prior to the start of the season 2004-05, AEK took on champions APOEL in a match to win the shield from CFA. The final score was at 3-3. AEK was defeated in extra time 5-4. In 2004-05, AEK was ranked 9th just three points clear of the 12th position, which takes them into the 2nd division. The following season, they were ranked 8th. It was in Cypriot Cup 2005-06 reached the final against APOEL. Following the drawing between the stadiums of both clubs The final was held at the home stadium of the AEK the GSZ Stadium. But, the team was not able to take home the trophy, after losing 3-1 in extra time.

The 2006-07 season saw AEK placed 7th and advanced to the semi-finals in the 2006-07 Cypriot Cup. The 2007-08 season was when AEK they finished 4th on the table in the Cypriot League. The darkest chapter for the the team was in 2008-09, where AEK was ranked 13th and was relegated to the second division for the first time the history of the club within the division 2.

The 2009-2010 season AEK placed 2nd place in second division. This ensured its return to the top division. In the 2010-11 season AEK was 4th in the league, with a winning ticket to play as a team in 2011-2012 UEFA Europa League.

In the 2011-12 season, the club was ranked 5th, and reached Semi-finals at the Cypriot Cup. The following season in 2012-13, AEK reached the 4th position in the league, and went on made it to semi-finals in the Cypriot Cup. In 2013-14, the team was relegated to 8th following a slow season.

The team's participation in the Europa League 2011-12 was historic for the club as well as in the field of Cyprus football. AEK Larnaca became the first Cypriot team to earn qualifying for the groups stages of Europa League (were preceded the entry by Anorthosis in the Champions League and APOEL at the stage of group play of the Champions League). In the second round of qualifying AEK met Maltese Floriana which won by 8-0 away and 1-0 home. Their away win of 8-0 is the most successful number of wins for the Cypriot teams to date in European competition. In the third round of qualifying AEK played against their counterparts from the Czech Mlada Boleslav. In the first game on GSZ AEK won 3-0, when in the second game away, the teams were tied 2-3 with AEK being able to play in the play-offs of UEFA Europa League. The next opponent was Norwegian Rosenborg. A draw that was goalless was the outcome of the initial game of the match between both teams. In the second game (which was played on Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium because of it being the case that UEFA has deemed GSZ Stadium inappropriate at that stage of tournament), AEK won 2-1 and progressed to the group stage at the end of the event.

In the group stages of the the team had to play Schalke 04, Maccabi Haifa and Steaua Bucharest. There was only one stadium on Cyprus that could be used to host matches in the groups stages of European tournaments was the new GSP which was the venue where AEK was able to host its home matches in the group stages. AEK was ranked in the bottom position in Group J and was eliminated. The team's performance in the tournament was just one victory (2-1 on home turf in the match against Maccabi Haifa) and two draws (0-0 away against Schalke 04 and 1-1 at home against Steaua) with five points. In that time, AEK created an unbeaten record for a Cypriot club by playing in six matches (four victories and two draw during the stage of qualifying for the competition). The record is held by APOEL in the same season, but with just three winners and three draws.

This year, the appointment to Thomas Christiansen marked the beginning of the Spanish time at AEK Larnaca. Under the direction of the Danish coach the club has had six regular players from Spain on the team in the 2014-15 season.

The 2014-15 season was a success. the team took home the title of champion until the final matchday. The final matchday of the season the team was up against APOEL and they remained in draw 1-1. If AEK was to win, it would move up to top position in the league. On the day of the match, AEK won Anorthosis and was ranked second for the only the first time ever in history.

In 2014-15, Larnaca came in a respectable second on the League for the 2015-16 season. Like during the previous season, it was a Spanish team with six players on the squad, however this time there was just one player came from Cyprus.

Christiansen was then sent to League competitors APOEL Nicosia. Christiansen was later replaced by the Spaniard, Imanol Idiakez. under Idiakez, Larnaca finished second for the second time for the year 2016-17. Two of the top scorers for AEK Larnaca were in the First Division where Ivan Trickovski scored 14 goals, and was and then Spaniard Acoran Barrera, who scored 9 goals. Idiakez suggested seven Spaniards for regular starters, but not a one player from Cyprus. The 2017-18 season witnessed AEK Larnaca finishing in 4th spot, however they took home the Cyprus Cup after 14 years. The French striker Florian Taulemesse scored 22 goals during the championship. He was also nominated for player of the Year and winner in the Cyprus Cup Final for the season. Imanol Idiakez completed 100 games on the AEK Larnaca's bench. In the final game, he was crowned his place in the Cyprus Cup Final. He will be replaced on 22 May, by another spanish player Andoni Iraola.

In the 2021-22 season, AEK Larnaca finished 2nd, and for the first time in club's history they were able to qualify to play in the UEFA Champions League.

As of October 17, 2016, the new home for AEK Larnaca has been AEK ARENA - Georgios Karapatakis that opened its doors to host the first ever match for AEK Larnaca with Aris Limassol.

The stadium that was the previous home of the football team was Neo GSZ Stadium, which was used extensively in the past by EPA along with Pezoporikos. Prior to the construction for the new stadium both teams were playing at the an older GSZ stadium.

On September 7, 2015, the first steps towards the development of a new privately owned stadium was launched, following to the new GSZ stadium.

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Cypriot Championship

• Runner-up (5): 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2021–22

Cypriot Cup

• Winners (2): 2003–04, 2017–18
• Runner-up (2): 1995–96, 2005–06

Cypriot Super Cup

• Winners (1): 2018
• Runner-up (2): 1996, 2004

The Cypriot football club AEK Larnaca F.C. has been involved in numerous European tournaments throughout the years, most notably participating at the winner of the UEFA Cup winners' cup in 1996 and 1997 and advancing to the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2011-12.

Last update: 25 July 2019

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As of 15 July 2022

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  BIH Kenan Pirić 2 DF  ENG Simranjit Thandi 3 DF  ESP Mikel González (Vice-Captain) 4 DF  SRB Nenad Tomović 5 DF  ESP Ismael Casas Casado 6 MF  ESP Oier Sanjurjo Maté 7 MF  POR Gus Ledes 8 FW  POR Bruno Gama 9 FW  VEN José Romo 10 FW  MKD Ivan Trichkovski (Captain) 11 FW  FRA Imad Faraj 12 FW  POR Rafael Lopes 13 GK  CYP Demetris Stylianides 14 DF  ESP Ángel García 15 DF  BIH Hrvoje Miličević 16 DF  VEN Roberto Rosales

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 FW  NGA Victor Olatunji 21 DF  CYP Nikos Englezou (3rd captain) 22 FW  CYP Theodosis Siathas 23 MF  ESP Javier Espinosa 24 DF  CYP Kypros Christoforou 26 MF  CYP Antonis Martis 27 FW  ENG Matt Derbyshire 29 MF  CYP Giorgos Naoum 30 DF  CYP Henry Bates Andreou 35 DF  CYP Pavlos Charalambous 38 GK  CYP Ioakeim Toumbas 45 FW  HUN Ádám Gyurcsó 51 FW  ISR Omri Altman 66 MF  CYP Rafail Mamas 78 GK  CYP Andreas Paraskevas

International Cypriot Players

•  Ioakeim Toumbas

International Foreign Players

•  Roberto Rosales
•  Hrvoje Miličević
• Kenan Pirić

•  Giorgos Naoum (U-21)
•  Rafail Mamas (U-21)
•  Henry Bates Andreou (U-21)
•  Demetris Stylianides (U-19)

EU Nationals

•   Mikel González
•   Ángel García
•   Javier Espinosa
•   Oier Sanjurjo Maté
•   Ádám Gyurcsó
•   Bruno Gama
•   Rafael Lopes

Dual citizenship players

•   José Romo
•   Gus Ledes
•   Hrvoje Milicevic
•   Roberto Rosales
•  Omri Altman
•   Simranjit Thandi
•   Imad Faraj

Non-EU Nationals

•  Ivan Trichkovski
• Matt Derbyshire
•  Nenad Tomović
• and Herzegovina Kenan Pirić
• Victor Olatunji

Under-23 Foreign Players

• Ismael Casas Casado

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