Tasos Avlonitis

Tasos Avlonitis (Greek: Τάσος Αυλωνίτης; born 1 January 1990) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Austrian club Sturm Graz.

Tasos Avlonitis

Avlonitis playing for Greece U21
Personal information
Full name	Anastasios Avlonitis
Date of birth	(1990-01-01) 1 January 1990
Place of birth	Chalcis, Greece
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position(s)	Centre-back
Club information
Current team	Sturm Graz
Number	5
Youth career
0000–2007	Chalkineo Evias
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2010	Egaleo	31	(1)
2008–2009	→ Ilisiakos (loan)	21	(2)
2010–2011	Kavala	4	(0)
2011–2014	Panionios	59	(0)
2014–2015	Olympiacos	18	(2)
2015–2016	Sturm Graz	16	(0)
2017	Heart of Midlothian	9	(0)
2017–2018	Panathinaikos	6	(0)
2018–	Sturm Graz	47	(1)
National team
2009	Greece U19	2	(0)
2011–2012	Greece U21	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:10, 10 July 2020 (UTC).

Club career

Early career

Avlonitis started as an amateur in his hometown team Chalkineo Evias in which he played in the local league. In 2007, he was signed to Egaleo, which for three seasons played in Football League. In the 2008–09 season he was loaned to Ilisiakos. In 2010, he signed to Kavala, where he played the 2010–11 season. After the involvement of the club President Psomiadis in a match-fixing scandal, Avlonitis was released and signed a contract with Panionios.[1]

Olympiacos

In July 2014, Olympiacos announced the transfer of Avlonitis from former club Panionios for a fee of around €670,000. On his first derby game against Panathinaikos, on 26 October 2014, Avlonitis scored the winning goal for Olympiacos, as they beat Panathinaikos 1–0 at home. His next goal came against Panthrakikos in a 5–1 home win. On 30 January 2015, the Austrian club Sturm Graz have expressed an interest to sign Olympiacos defender on loan. The Greek defender is not in Marco Silva's plans and Sturm Graz are moving towards to clinch a loan deal until the end of the season.[2] Eventually, the central defender will continue his career in Austria for Sturm Graz, on loan until the end of 2015–16 season.[3] On 6 February 2016, he made his debut with the club in a 2–2 away draw against Altach.

On 1 September 2016, he mutually solved his contract with Olympiacos.[4]

Heart of Midlothian

On 30 January 2017, Avlonitis signed for Scottish Premiership club, Heart of Midlothian on a six-month deal running until the end of the 2016–17 season.[5] On 22 May 2017, Avlonitis was released by the club, following the end of the Premiership season.[6][7]

Panathinaikos

On 11 September 2017, Avlonitis signed a two years contract with Superleague club Panathinaikos for an undisclosed fee.[8] In the first half of the 2016–17 season, the central defender was bright in for defensive cover and has found first team minutes hard to come by since arriving but when called upon he has demonstrated he can be trusted. Given his lack of playing time it is hard to judge but he is expected to feature more often in the second half of the season after the probable departure of Rodrigo Moledo.

Sturm Graz

In April 2018, Avlonitis signed a two-year contract with his former club Sturm Graz, in which he played on loan from Olympiacos on the second half of the 2015–16 season. He had previously terminated his contract with Panathinaikos at his own request.[9] On 9 August 2018, he played his first international game as a starter in a 2–0 home loss for UEFA Europa League Third qualifying round, 1st leg game against AEK Larnaca. On 21 September 2019, he scored his first goal with the club with a kick after a Kiril Despodov's corner in an away 3–3 draw against SV Mattersburg. The Greek defender, who has been irreplaceable this season in Sturm Graz's backline, produced a cheeky back-heel assist to register his second assist of the season. As a result of his excellent form, was included in the Best XI for matchday 18 in the Austrian Football Bundesliga.[10][11] On 28 December 2019, Sturm Graz revealed their Team of the Decade, with Avlonitis and Charalampos Lykogiannis both included in the starting 11.[12]

International career

He was also a former Greece under-19 and Greece under-21 international.[13]

Career statistics

As of 29 June 2020

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Egaleo	2007–08	Football League Greece	19	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	19	1
	2008–09		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2009–10		12	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
	Total		31	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	32	1
Ilisiakos	2008–09	Football League Greece	21	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	22	0
	Total		21	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	22	0
Kavala	2010–11	Superleague Greece	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Panionios	2011–12	Superleague Greece	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
	2012–13		25	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	26	0
	2013–14		30	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	33	0
	Total		59	0	6	0	0	0	0	0	65	0
Olympiacos	2014–15	Superleague Greece	18	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	18	2
	2015–16		0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	Total		18	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	21	2
Sturm Graz	2015–16	Austrian Bundesliga	16	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	17	0
	Total		16	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	17	0
Heart of Midlothian	2016–17	Scottish Premiership	9	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
	Total		9	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
Panathinaikos	2017–18	Superleague Greece	6	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
	Total		6	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
Sturm Graz	2018–19	Austrian Bundesliga	20	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	25	0
	2019–20		27	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	28	1
	Total		47	1	3	0	3	0	0	0	53	1
Career total			203	4	22	0	3	0	0	0	228	4

Honours

Olympiacos

• Superleague Greece: 2014–15
• Greek Cup: 2014–15

References

1. "Τρίτη μετεγγραφή η Καβάλα (Third transfer for Kavala)". Eleftherotypia (in Greek). 5 June 2010.
2. "Sturm Graz eyeing Avlonitis loan deal". www.sdna.gr. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
3. "Olympiakos lend Avlonitis to Sturm Graz". www.sdna.gr. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
4. "Λύθηκε το συμβόλαιο του Αυλωνίτη με τον Ολυμπιακό". www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
5. "Hearts sign Greek duo Alexandros Tziolis and Anastasios Avlonitis". BBC Sport. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
6. "Είπε "αντίο" στη Χαρτς ο Αυλωνίτης". www.sport24.gr. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
7. "Alex Tziolis will leave Hearts".
8. "Επίσημο: Αυλωνίτης διετίας στον Παναθηναϊκό". www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
9. http://www.sport24.gr/football/EllinesExoterikou/o-aylwniths-epestrepse-sth-stoyrm-gkrats.5176520.html
10. 3:3! Spektakuläres Remis zwischen Mattersburg und Sturm Graz!
11. FOUNTAS, AVLONITIS INCLUDED IN MATCHDAY 18 BEST XI IN AUSTRIA
12. AVLONITIS, LYKOGIANNIS BOTH INCLUDED IN STURM GRAZ TEAM OF THE DECADE
13. "Tasos Avlonitis profile". uefa.com. Retrieved 22 March 2012.

External links

• Tasos Avlonitis at Soccerway