Petros Mantalos

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 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 AEK Athens
Number 20
Youth career
2006–2009 Xanthi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2014 Skoda Xanthi 81 (12)
2014– AEK Athens 92 (21)
National team‡
2009–2010 Greece U-19 8 (2)
2011–2012 Greece U-21 6 (0)
2014– Greece 20 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:23, 29 September 2018 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21:48, 08 September 2018 (UTC)

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

Club career

Xanthi

Petros Mantalos began playing professional football for Super league side Xanthi. During his time at Skoda Xanthi, Mantalos played a total of 90 games (15 goals, 10 assists) in all competitions and he did his first steps for Greece national football team joining the U-19 and later the U-21 squad. His good appearances on the team Mantalos attracted the interest of Greek giants Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and the relegated to 3rd Division, but renewed AEK Athens.

AEK Athens

In the summer of 2013, Petros Mantalos agreed to join AEK Athens, from the season 2014–15.[1][2] AEK Athens signed Mantalos from Skoda Xanthi for a fee of €500,000. On August 23, 2014 Petros Mandalos was named MVP in a friendly match between AEK Athens and Roma when the Greek club lost 2-1 but "played better" as AS Roma's coach, Rudi Garcia said. On October 19, 2014, Mantalos made his debut in a home match against Apollon Smyrnis scoring and making an assist which made his team win 2–1 overthrowing a 0–1 score against them. He was also handed the Man of the Match award. AEK went on to win the Football League and were promoted to the 2015–16 Greek Superleague, with Mantalos being crucial to the team's performance, scoring 11 goals and providing 15 assists in 22 games in both the Football League and the Football cup.

While playing in a cup derby against Olympiacos in March 2015, Mantalos ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament. He stayed on the sidelines for six months, missing the clubs last Football League games and the next year's preseason.[3] "It is the first time I suffer from such a severe injury", the 23-year-old said. "I haven't had many injuries, but that is life. I am now focused on coming back. I am not in a hurry. If it has to be six months, it will be six months, so that I will return strong. The sad thing is that I will be away from the team, but it doesn't hurt right now. I am fine. AEK can cope with my absence, they have proved that. I am just one of the 30 players".[4]

On 4 September 2015, after a very difficult period for the midfielder marred by injury (176 days to be exact), he returned playing for the club in a friendly match against Panetolikos.[5] On 17 December 2015, he scored his first goal in the season with the club, in a glorious 5-0 away win against AEL for Greek Cup.[6] On 20 April 2016, Mantalos scored the only goal for the first leg of the Greek Cup semifinal against Atromitos.[7] On 17 May 2016, Mantalos, as the captain and MVP of the match, with a close-range header helped his club to win 2–1 champions Olympiakos in Cup's final at the Olympic Stadium of Athens and won the title for 15th time in their history.[8]

He started the 2016–17 season as the indisputable leader of the club. On 21 September 2016 he underwent a successful surgical routine surgery to overcome a broken nose bone, as he was injured in club's training session in a conflict with his teammate Rodrigo Galo Brito.[9] On 28 May 2017 it was rumoured that several Spanish teams had added Mantalos to their shortlists. The club's administration is willing to listen to offers in the region of €5,000,000.[10] On 31 May 2017 Petros scored one goal and provided one assist in 1–2 away win against Panionios, which gave his team the right to qualify for the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.[11]

On 10 September 2017, AEK Athens cruised to a comfortable 4–0 win over AEL to remain top in the Greek Superleague. However, the moment of the game arrived after just four minutes when the Greek international scored a superb bicycle kick to open the scoring.[12] On 14 September 2017, Mantalos opened the score in the first half as AEK won 2–1 after an impressive performance against Rijeka at his first matchday of 2017–18 Europa League's group stage.[13][14] On 24 September 2017, with his side being 0–2 down up until the 62nd minute mark Mantalos scored the third and winning goal in the 3–2 win over Olympiakos.[15]

On 29 October 2017, in a 1–0 away Superleague win against Panionios, he faced another cruciate ligament rupture, this time on his other knee. The game was goalless and heading towards the end when Mantalos jumped to provide an overhead pass that eventually opened up the enemy defense and ended up in the game-winning goal, but he fell hard on his left knee, causing the ACL rupture.[16][17] It is estimated that he will be out for 6 months, effectively missing out on the rest of the 2017–18 season.[18] Despite that, club president Dimitris Melissanidis announced that he wanted to renew Mantalos' contract immediately after hearing about the injury, as a gesture of support.[19]

On November 16, 2017, Mantalos agreed to a contract extension with AEK, until the summer of 2022.[20] On 5 April 2018, the captain of the club Mantalos completed AEK's training and seem ready to return in action. The 27-year-old Greek international remain out of action since last October, but he will manage to perform at the last five matches of experienced Spanish manager Manolo Jimenez's team at the domestic competitions until the end of 2017–18 season, in his club effort to win the Superleague title.[21] On 21 April 2018, after a very difficult period for the midfielder marred by injury (174 days to be exact), Mantalos returned to action as the coach Jiménez included the player for the forthcoming home game against Levadiakos.,[22] where he played as a substitute in a celebratory atmosphere in front on a sold-out Olympic Stadium to clinch their first, much-anticipated Superleague title since 1994.[23]

On 28 August 2018 he scored, with a penalty kick in a 1–1 home draw for UEFA Champions League Playoffs, 2nd leg against Vidi, secured a 3–2 aggregate playoff victory as nine-man AEK rubber-stamped their place in the Champions League group stage.[24] Two days later English Championship club West Bromwich Albion, offered €10 million for the Greek international, but the administration of the team turned it down.[25] Three days later, with a penalty kick, AEK beat 1–0 rivals Asteras Tripolis in Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium on the road for a consecutive title.[26]

International career

As a "second division" player Mantalos' international call in Greece national football team was a big surprise by Claudio Ranieri.[27] 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.[28] On 7 October 2016, he scored the second goal sealing a 2–0 home win against Cyprus for UEFA World Cup 2018 preliminary round.[29]

International goals

As of match played 10 October 2016. Greece score listed first, score column indicates score after each Mantalos goal.[30]
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 qualifier

Career statistics

Club

As of 1 September 2018
Club Season League Cup Continental[A] Others[B] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Xanthi 2009–10 1000––––10
2010–11 4000--––40
2011–12 17231––––203
2012–13 29410--––304
2013–14 3062240––368
Total 81126340009115
AEK 2014–15 15972--––2211
2015–16 25174––41366
2016–17 266802051417
2017–18 1221151––184
2018–19 210031––52
Total 80192371029212129
Career total 1613129101429221345

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 8 September 2017[31][30]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Greece
201430
201520
201682
201750
201820
Total202

Honours

Club

AEK Athens

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Agreement with Skoda Xanthi for Petros Mantalos" (in Greek). Official AEK Athens F.C. Website. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  2. ↑ Έκπληξη με Μάνταλο η ΑΕΚ. sport-fm.gr (in Greek). 23 July 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  3. ↑ "Mantalos suffers cruciate ligament injury". sdna.gr (in Greek). 12 March 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  4. ↑ "Mantalos in no hurry to make comeback". sdna.gr (in Greek). 26 March 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Μάνταλος: "Θα το θυμάμαι, τα δύσκολα πέρασαν" [Mandalos: "I will remember it, it was difficult to pass"]. www.contra.gr (in Greek). 4 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "Πέρασε "αέρα" από τον "Κάμπο" η ΑΕΚ 5-0 την Λάρισα". www.sport24.gr (in Greek). 17 December 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  7. ↑ "AEK one step closer to the Greek cup final". www.sdna.gr. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "AEK beat Olympiakos and win the Greek Cup for 15th time". www.sdna.gr. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  9. ↑ "ΑΕΚ: Χειρουργήθηκε ο Μάνταλος". www.naftemporiki.gr (in Greek). 21 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  10. ↑ "Θέλει 5 εκατομμύρια για Μάνταλο η ΑΕΚ!" (in Greek). 28 May 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Σεντονάτη ΑΕΚάρα!" (in Greek). 31 May 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  12. ↑ "AEK beats 10-man Larissa 4-0, joins Olympiakos at the top". Washington Post. Associated Press. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  13. ↑ "Rijeka – AEK 1:2". www.nk-rijeka.hr. 14 September 2017.
  14. ↑ "Ξεκίνημα για πρόκριση, 2-1 η ΑΕΚ τη Ριέκα". www.sport24.gr. 14 September 2017.
  15. ↑ "Ιστορική ανατροπή η ΑΕΚ, 3-2 τον Ολυμπιακό". www.sport24.gr. 24 September 2017.
  16. ↑ "Πανιώνιος - ΑΕΚ 0-1". www.gazzetta.gr. 29 October 2017.
  17. ↑ "Ο Μάνταλος το ήξερε, το είπαν και οι γιατροί". /www.contra.gr. 30 October 2017.
  18. ↑ "Επίσημο: Ρήξη πρόσθιου χιαστού ο Μάνταλος -Εκτός γηπέδων 5-6 μήνες ο αρχηγός της ΑΕΚ". www.iefimerida.gr. 29 October 2017.
  19. ↑ http://www.novasports.gr/podosfairo/ellada/super-league/article/355067/prohoraei-amesa-i-ananeosi-me-madalo/
  20. ↑ "Υπέγραψε μέχρι το 2022 ο Μάνταλος!" (in Greek). Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  21. ↑ "Επέστρεψε στις προπονήσεις ο Μάνταλος" (in Greek). Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  22. ↑ "Με Μάνταλο για το πρωτάθλημα η ΑΕΚ!" (in Greek). Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  23. ↑ "ΑΕΚ-Λεβαδειακός 2-0: Πρωταθλήτρια εν αναμονή". www.onsports.gr. 22 April 2018.
  24. ↑ "ΑΕΚ-Βίντι 1-1: Αγχώθηκε αλλά πέταξε για τα αστέρια!". www.protothema.gr. 28 August 2018.
  25. ↑ "Η ΑΕΚ απέρριψε πρόταση 10 εκατ. ευρώ για Μάνταλο". www.sport24.gr. 30 August 2018.
  26. ↑ "Petros Mantalos scores, AEK leave Tripoli victorious". www.sdna.gr. 1 September 2018.
  27. ↑ 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.
  28. ↑ 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.
  29. ↑ Ελλάδα - Κύπρος [Greece - Cyprus 2-0]. www.gazzetta.gr (in Greek). 7 October 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  30. 1 2 "Πέτρος Μάνταλος" [Petros Mantalos]. Hellenic Football Federation (in Greek). Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  31. ↑ "Petros Mantalos". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  32. ↑ "Mantalos named best Greek footballer in PSAP Super League awards". www.agonasport.com. 30 January 2018.
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