1988–89 AEK Athens F.C. season

Supplier: Zita Hellas
Sponsor(s): Ethniki Asfalistiki

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In the summer of 1988, an administrative change came to AEK Athens, since the major shareholder, Andreas Zafiropoulos stepped down, with a large portion of the supporters against him and handed over the management of club to the nightclub owner, Stratos Gidopoulos. The former footballer, Dušan Bajević returned to club after 7 years, taking charge as manager. The administration supported Bajević by signing the Polish international, Mirosław Okoński, while Stelios Manolas was convinced to stay. Apart from the completion of major singinigs, Gidopoulos for his part, brought a sense of optimism to the club for the first time in years, while generally proving to be a capable agent who ensured that the club not to feel inferior to its financially stronger rivals.^[2]

AEK competed in the UEFA Cup, where they played against Athletic Bilbao in the first round. In the first leg in a full AEK Stadium, despite the pouring rain, AEK pressed from the start and managed to take an early lead with an impressive header from Pittas. The match was intense and particularly hard. The Basques pushed for an equalizer, but AEK also had chances to extend the score. In the end, the fluid 1–0 remained and the rematch was set for 14 days later in the Basque Country. In the second leg, in the packed San Mamès, AEK were stunned and concieded 2 quick goals by Uralde. By the 6th minute, Athletic had already a qualification score and the remaining 84 minutes went by with AEK looking for the goal. In the end, that goal never came, despite some tepid chances. A highlight of the match at San Mamès, the human wall erected by the Basque supporters to protect those of AEK from the Spanish police, an unforgettable move that was duly appreciated by the Greek excursionists.^[3]

In the Cup, AEK qualified as first in their respective group in the first round. Afterwards, they did not do well, since they were eliminated in the second round by Levadiakos, with the yellow-blacks having major complaints from the referee in the second leg, with Gidopoulos as their main expressor.^[4][5]

Bajević quickly built a tight and well-worked team, which had the best defense in the league and knew how to get the results in most matches, while they remained close to the top throughout the season. In December despite the departure of the last season's top scorer Henrik Nielsen, Stavros Stamatis and Toni Savevski arrived to the club, but AEK still were considered to be an outsider for the conquest of the league.

The decisive moment of the season was the away match against Olympiacos on 7 May, for the penultimate matchday of the Championship. The atmosphere at the period of the preparation of the two clubs before the match was intense. The players of Olympiacos cut a celebratory cake with the inscription "Olympiacos-AEK 4–0" at the "tower" of their president, Argyris Saliarelis in Aegina, while at the same time the players of AEK were doing a mini-preparation at Parnitha.^[6]

At the Olympic Stadium the match started with Olympiacos pressing hard, but the defense of AEK as well as Ikonomopoulos held well. The pressure of the red and whites kept increasing, but the yellow-blacks did not concede a goal. The clearance of the ball at the goaline by Manolas with his head on the header of Détári^[7] and the spirited play of the whole team in general kept them intact during the match. At the 83rd minute, in a counterattack of AEK, Karagiozopoulos, who had come in as a substitute, made the "1-2" with Okoński and scored the goal that gave AEK a historic title victory.^[8][9][10]

The key players of the team were Okoński, Manolas, Savvidis, Savevski and Ikonomopoulos. The goalkeeper of AEK in specific had a remarkable performance, giving valuable points to the team with 3 crucial penalty-kick saves throughout the season and was nicknamed "Mr. Championship 1989" by the supporters.^[11] The team's top scorer in the league was Mirosław Okoński with 11 goals.^[12]