Petros Mantalos

Petros Mantalos (Greek: Πέτρος Μάνταλος, born 31 August 1991) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for AEK Athens, for which he is captain, and the Greece national team.

Petros Mantalos
Mantalos with AEK in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1991-08-31) 31 August 1991
Place of birth Komotini, Greece
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position(s) Attacking Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 AEK Athens
Number 20
Youth career
2006–2009 Skoda Xanthi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2014 Skoda Xanthi 81 (12)
2014– AEK Athens 142 (30)
National team‡
2009–2010 Greece U19 8 (2)
2011–2012 Greece U21 6 (0)
2014– Greece 27 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 July 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21:25, 18 November 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Skoda Xanthi

Petros Mantalos began playing professional football for Superleague club Skoda Xanthi. He played a total of 90 games (15 goals, 10 assists) in all competitions and represented his country at under-19 and under-21 levels. His performances attracted the interest of Greek giants Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and AEK Athens, the latter club newly relegated from the Superleague, bankrupt, and making a fresh start in the third-tier Football League 2.[1] In July 2013, Mantalos agreed to join AEK from the 2014–15 season.[2] The fee was reported as around €500,000.[3] He remained with Xanthi for the 2013–14 season, making 30 Superleague appearances as well as playing in the UEFA Europa League.[4]

AEK Athens

By the time Mantalos joined up with AEK, they had been promoted to the second-tier Football League. He made his debut on 12 September in the first round of the Greek Cup, and his first league appearance on 19 October 2014 at home to Apollon Smyrnis: with his team losing 1–0, Mantalos took the free kick from which Alexandre D'Acol equalised and then converted a penalty to complete a 2–1 win.[5] He went on to score 11 goals and provide 15 assists in 22 games in League and Cup combined. Mantalos himself missed the last few weeks of the season, having ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while playing in a cup derby against Olympiacos in March 2015. He said afterwards that it was his first major injury, he was not going to rush his recovery, and that AEK could manage well enough without him.[6] This they proved, finishing top of the South Group and then winning the play-offs.

After six months out, Mantalos returned to competitive action and continued as a regular in the first team, helping AEK finish third in the 2015–16 Superleague and qualify for the Europa League. He scored the only goal of the first leg of the Greek Cup semifinal against Atromitos,[7] and captained the side in the final at the Olympic Stadium. His first-half headed goal contributed to AEK's 2–1 defeat of champions Olympiacos to win the competition for the 15th time, and he was named MVP of the match.[8]

According to an end-of-season profile, Mantalos "endured a difficult start to the campaign",[9] which was interrupted by the need for surgery on a nose broken in training,[10] "but seemed rejuvenated once Manolo Jiménez took over the team" in January 2017.[9] He finished the season with a goal and an assist in a 2–1 win against Panionios in the play-offs that confirmed AEK's place in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round,[11] and was voted best Greek footballer in the Superleague at the PSAP awards.[12] In light of interest from Spanish clubs, AEK were reported to be unwilling to sell at less than €5 or €6 million, as the player still had two years left on his contract.[13]

AEK went top of the Superleague three weeks into the 2017–18 season after a 4–0 win over Larissa, in which Mantalos opened the scoring with a fourth-minute bicycle kick.[14] Although AEK failed to progress in the Champions League, they qualified for the Europa League group stage; in their first match, Mantalos scored as AEK beat Rijeka 2–1.[15] A few days later, he scored an 89th-minute winner as they came back from 2–0 down after 63 minutes to beat reigning champions Olympiacos 3–2.[16] At the end of October, Mantalos suffered another ruptured ACL, this time in his left knee.[17] As a gesture of support, the club offered Mantalos a contract extension until 2022, which he accepted.[18] He returned to action as a substitute on 21 April as AEK beat Levadiakos to clinch their first Superleague title since 1994.[19]

Mantalos converted a penalty in a 1–1 draw in the Champions League play-off round second leg against Vidi that, despite having two men sent off, was enough to progress to the group stage on aggregate.[20] Two days after reports emerged that the club had rejected a bid valued at €10 million for Mantalos from English Championship club West Bromwich Albion,[21] he scored his first goal of the 2018–19 Superleague season, a penalty, that gave AEK a 1–0 win away to Asteras Tripolis.[22] His fourth league goal, which opened the scoring in a 2–0 win away to Panionios in January 2019, was controversial as he appeared to handle the ball when controlling the final pass.[23] Mantalos scored twice against Atromitos in the quarter-final of that season's Greek Cup as AEK went on to reach and lose to PAOK in the final for the third year running.[24]

Mantalos scored in both legs of AEK's 2019–20 Europa League qualifier against Universitatea Craiova, but despite his goal in the play-off round against Trabzonspor, the tie ended 3–3 on aggregate and AEK were eliminated on away goals.[25] On 20 October 2019, he scored a brace sealing a vital 3–2 home win game against Volos. It was elected MVP of the game.[26] On 7 December 2019, he scored with an excellent kick in a hammering 5–0 home win game against Panionios.[27] On 18 December 2019, Mantalos opened the scoring from the penalty spot after six minutes to put Massimo Carrera’s AEK in front in a 2–1 home win game against Asteras Tripolis.[28] On 23 February 2020, Mantalos scored with a diagonal header into the corner, after five minutes from a Marko Livaja's cross, in a 3–0 home win game against OFI.[29] On 4 March 2020, Marko Livaja picked out the onrushing Mantalos on the left, and the latter calmly stroked the ball into the far corner beyond Julián Cuesta, opening the score in a slender 2–1 advantage against Aris in Athens, with the second leg of the Greek Cup semi-final to be played at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium next month.[30] At the end of the regular season, Mantalos has showed a consistency throughout the entire campaign and as a result clubs from Turkey, including Super Lig leaders İstanbul Başakşehir, are reportedly eager to sign the 28-year-old in the upcoming transfer window.

International career

As a "second division" player Mantalos' international call in Greece national football team was a big surprise by Claudio Ranieri.[31] On September 7, 2014 Mantalos made his international debut in a match against Romania for the European Qualifiers 2016.

Mantalos scored his first international goal on 7 June 2016 in Melbourne Australia, against Australia in an eventual 2–1 win.[32]

On 7 October 2016, he scored the second goal sealing a 2–0 home win against Cyprus for UEFA World Cup 2018 preliminary round.[33]

Career statistics

Club
As of 20 July 2020
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Skoda Xanthi 2009–10 Superleague Greece 1000——10
2010–11 Superleague Greece 4000——40
2011–12 Superleague Greece 17200——172
2012–13 Superleague Greece 28431——315
2013–14 Superleague Greece 3162240—378
Total 81125340—9115
AEK Athens 2014–15 Superleague Greece 2 15882——2310
2015–16 Superleague Greece 29274——366
2016–17 Superleague Greece 3178020—417
2017–18 Superleague Greece 1222171—214
2018–19 Superleague Greece 2556391—409
2019–20 Superleague Greece 3066243—4011
Total 142303712225—20147
Career total 2234242152650029262

Notes
A. ^ Includes appearances in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
B. ^ Includes appearances in the Superleague Greece play-offs.

International
As of 18 November 2019[34][35]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Greece
201430
201520
201682
201750
201840
201951
Total273

International goals
As of match played 18 November 2019. Greece score listed first, score column indicates score after each Mantalos goal.[35]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 7 June 2016Docklands Stadium, Melbourne, Australia7 Australia1–02–1Friendly
2 7 October 2016Karaiskakis Stadium, Pireaus, Greece10 Cyprus2–02–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 18 November 2019Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece27 Finland1–12–1UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

Club

AEK Athens

Individual
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References
  1. Wood, Graham (10 July 2013). "Soccer–AEK Athens prepare to start from scratch after bankruptcy". Chicago Tribune. Reuters. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018.
  2. Συμφωνία με Skoda Ξάνθης για Π. Μάνταλο [Agreement with Skoda Xanthi for P. Mantalos] (in Greek). AEK FC. 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
    Έκπληξη με Μάνταλο η ΑΕΚ. sport-fm.gr (in Greek). 23 July 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  3. Nicolaides, Shaun (24 November 2017). "The story so far. Petros Mantalos' eventful first three years with AEK". AGONAsport. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  4. "Petros Mantalos: Club matches". worldfootball.net. HeimSpiel. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  5. ΑΕΚ – Απόλλων Σμύρνης 2–1 [AEK – Apollo Smyrnis 2–1]. Contra.gr (in Greek). 19 October 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  6. "Mantalos suffers cruciate ligament injury". SDNA.gr. 12 March 2015. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
    "Mantalos in no hurry to make comeback". SDNA.gr. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  7. "AEK one step closer to the Greek cup final". SDNA.gr. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  8. "AEK beat Olympiakos and win the Greek Cup for 15th time". SDNA.gr. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
    Tsochos, Michalis (17 May 2016). Η ΑΕΚ κέρδισε 2–1 τον Ολυμπιακό στον τελικό του Κυπέλλου [AEK beat Olympiacos 2–1 in the Cup final] (in Greek). CNN Greece. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  9. Kaperonis, Sarantos (9 May 2017). "AGONAsport's Starting XI for the 2016/17 SuperLeague Season". AGONAsport. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  10. ΑΕΚ: Χειρουργήθηκε ο Μάνταλος [AEK: Mantalos had surgery]. naftemporiki.gr (in Greek). 21 September 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  11. "Panionios v AEK Athens Live Commentary, 31/05/2017". Goal.com. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
    Georgakopoulos, George (1 June 2017). "AEK makes the most of Panathinaikos's revenge over PAOK". Kathimerini. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  12. Nicolaides, Shaun (30 January 2018). "Mantalos named best Greek footballer in PSAP Super League awards". AGONAsport. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  13. Θέλει 5 εκατομμύρια για Μάνταλο η ΑΕΚ! [AEK would sell Mantalos at over 5,000,000 euros!]. Gazzetta.gr (in Greek). 28 May 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  14. "AEK beats 10-man Larissa 4–0, joins Olympiakos at the top". Washington Post. Associated Press. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  15. Georgakopoulos, George (14 September 2017). "Lazaros swerves AEK to triumph at Rijeka". Kathimerini. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  16. "AEK beats Olympiakos 3–2, stays top in Greece". The National Herald. Associated Press. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  17. Ο Μάνταλος το ήξερε, το είπαν και οι γιατροί [Mantalos knew, the doctors confirm]. contra.gr (in Greek). 30 October 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  18. "Petros Mantalos extends his contract with AEK until 2022". SDNA.gr. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  19. ΑΕΚ–Λεβαδειακός 2–0: Πρωταθλήτρια εν αναμονή [AΕΚ–Levadiakos 2–0: Champion in waiting]. OnSports.gr (in Greek). 22 April 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  20. "MOL Vidi reach Europa League group stage". Hungarian Football Federation. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  21. Tsilis, Costas (30 August 2018). Η ΑΕΚ απέρριψε πρόταση 10 εκατ. ευρώ για Μάνταλο [AEK rejected a €10m bid for Mantalos]. Sport24.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  22. "Petros Mantalos scores, AEK leave Tripoli victorious". SDNA.gr. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  23. Wood, Graham (26 January 2019). "AEK maintain 100 per cent start to 2019". AGONAsport. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  24. "Petros Mantalos: Kypello Elladas 2018/2019". worldfootball.net. HeimSpiel. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
    "PAOK beats AEK 1–0 to win Greek Cup for its 1st double". The National Herald. Associated Press. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  25. "Petros Mantalos: Europa League Qual. 2019/2020". worldfootball.net. HeimSpiel. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
    Wood, Graham (29 August 2019). "So close yet so far for AEK". AGONAsport. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  26. "ΑΕΚ - Βόλος 3-2: Κέρδισε την ηρεμία της με σούπερ Μάνταλο". sport24. 20 October 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  27. "ΑΕΚ - Πανιώνιος 5-0: Υποδοχή Καρέρα με πεντάρα". sport24. 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  28. "ΑΕΚ - Αστέρας 2-1: Κυνική, αποτελεσματική και "2 στα 2" με Καρέρα". sport24. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  29. "ΑΕΚ - ΟΦΗ 3-0: Κιτρινόμαυρη καταιγίδα με ιταλική φινέτσα". sport24. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  30. "ΑΕΚ - Άρης 2-1: Προβάδισμα με Βράνιες σε επεισοδιακό ημιτελικό". sport24. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  31. AEK: Στην Εθνική Ελλάδος ο Πέτρος Μάνταλος [AEK: Petros Mandalos in Greece's national football team]. news.gr (in Greek). 31 August 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  32. Windley, Matt (7 June 2016). "Greece defeat Australia 2-1 in hard fought battle thanks to 60 metre wonder goal". Fox Sports Australia. News Corporation. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  33. Ελλάδα - Κύπρος [Greece - Cyprus 2-0]. www.gazzetta.gr (in Greek). 7 October 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  34. "Petros Mantalos". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  35. "Πέτρος Μάνταλος" [Petros Mantalos]. Hellenic Football Federation (in Greek). Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  36. "Mantalos named best Greek footballer in PSAP Super League awards". www.agonasport.com. 30 January 2018.
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