Dimitris Nikolaidis: AEK Athens Has Lost Its Identity

In a recent appearance on the Monday FC show aired by Novasports, Dimitris Nikolaidis criticized AEK Athens for losing its competitive identity in recent games. He pointed out that AEK could have won their first two playoff matches but lamented the loss of the team’s personality. Nikolaidis also commented on Anthony Martial’s performance as a forward and addressed the incidents at the end of the Olympiacos-AEK match. According to him, there were some tense moments during the game involving red cards and misconduct off the field. Regarding the match itself, he described it as ‘a game from another era,’ filled with numerous mistakes and hard marking. While AEK played defensively and managed to challenge Olympiacos, they only managed one shot throughout the entire match, which is unprecedented for Almeyda’s team. Nikolaidis does not believe Martial should be used as a lone striker, stating that his role was ineffective against Olympiacos. Additionally, he remarked on AEK’s performances in the playoffs, suggesting that while they had opportunities against PAOK and Panathinaikos, they played recklessly and ultimately lost. This poor performance, according to Nikolaidis, stems from the team losing the strong identity it once possessed under Almeyda.