1971–72 AEK Athens F.C. season

After the distinctions of the previous years, AEK seemed to operate in a "frantic tempo", until this season, which was the passing to a declining period for the club. The roster was constantly renewed as a generation of players left, passing the torch to the next one. The new generation was consisted of prominent players, however the club was not ready to claim a leading role in the league. The notable transfers of the season were the arrivals of Giorgos Tanidis from Aris Ptolemaida, Babis Psimogiannos from Aris Agios Konstantinos, but most importantly that of the promising striker of Atromitos, Lakis Nikolaou.

AEK participated in the European Cup. The draw was tough for them, as from the very first round faced one of the greastest European clubs over time, the great Internazionale of Ivano Bordon, Giacinto Facchetti and Sandro Mazzola. The first match at San Siro in front of almost 80,000 spectators, AEK managed to take the lead at the 14th minute with Pomonis, but Inter's superiority was obvious and after equalizing 5 minutes later, they finished the first half leading by 3–1. The second half turned out to be a standard procedure with Inter raising the score to 4–1 and likewise the few chances of AEK qualifying disappeared.^[2] In the rematch at the crowded AEK Stadium no one expected what was about to happen. Everything started wrong for the yellow-blacks, as they were left behind the score at the 17th minute with a goal by Mazzola. Bertini's dismissal two minutes later and Stankovic's offensive style, brought AEK in taking the lead at the half time with Ventouris and Papaioannou, while also having two shots hit the post. The Italians, wanting if nothing else not to lose, chased the goal and equalized with Boninsegna at the 76th minute. The players of AEK, realizing that the qualification was definitively lost, sought the victory and achieved it with a goal by Nikolaidis at the 89th minute, that made the final 3–2. One of the greatest victories for the then "poor" Greek football and the first great European night for AEK.^[3][4]

This season was marked by changes in the conduct of the Cup, as the amateur clubs of the local associations cease to participate, while clubs of the national divisions only could participate. The ties of the first round competed again according to geographical criteria. There AEK easily overcame PAO Rouf winning them by 4–1 at home. From the second round onwards the draw was free and thus AEK faced Kozani prevailing with a 4–0 home win. At the round of 16 they were drawn against Lamia of Andreas Stamatiadis away from home and to everyone's surprise they were eliminated, losing by 1–0 at the extra time.^[5]

In the league AEK presented two faces throughout the season. In the home matches they achieved only one draw and one defeat, winning the rest of the games. However they paid their bad performances in the away matches, dropping points in almost every away game, achieving only 4 wins out of the 17 total of games. That resulted in a third-place finish with 6 points behind the champion Panathinaikos. Top scorer of the team was Mimis Papaioannou with 12 league goals.^[6]