“We tried to combine different sounds, to create a sonic chaos. We felt like this would represent our city best”. This is what one of the most famous underground rock bands in Greece, Planet of Zeus, had to say about their instrumental song ‘Athens’.

Indeed, Athens can feel like a chaotic blend of sights and sounds. Ancient monuments pop up in otherwise urban scenery. Athens is full of good food, cheap beer and loud people.

Oh, and a true passion for football. Football in Greece is like an explosive cocktail of nearly unmatched passion, corruption, and toxicity which, sadly, has contributed to its fall. Referees get beaten up, owners storm in locker rooms, ultras fight each other and people have even been murdered, all in the name of a delusional love of the game.

But nevertheless, everyone in Greece zει και αναπνέει or ‘lives and breathes’ for football, for every matchday. AEK is one of the three big clubs in the country, among the ‘Eternal Enemies’, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. It’s a team strongly connected to refugees, because back in 1924 it was established by people who fled to Athens from Istanbul, Konstantinoupolis in Greek. Brighton will be looking for revenge in Athens on Thursday night, against a club with whom they share a common scar, one that played a major part in their respective histories.

Redemption at The OPAP Arena

Brighton had The Goldstone Ground, AEK had Nikos Goumas. Both clubs had to stay homeless for years, seeing their grounds turn into ghosts. Both sets of fans had to watch their team play in a foreign place, cheer, celebrate, swear and cry somewhere that definitely wasn’t home.

AEK’s neighborhood has always been Nea Philadelphia and this is where its first stadium was. In 1999, a large earthquake struck Athens and Nikos Goumas took serious damage. Its reconstruction was deemed mandatory but the club’s financial situation was bad. In May 2003 the stadium was demolished with the prospect of building a new stadium for AEK, which could also be used to host football matches at the 2004 Olympics. But a combination of legal issues, tight timelines and a whole lot of bureaucracy killed AEK’s dreams, leaving the club with nothing but the ruins of its home.

This was a huge deal that affected the club for years. People waited patiently. Fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers passed away while waiting for the chance to see their stadium come back to life. After 19 years full of effort, tears and dark moments, relegations to the third tier and financial issues, AEK managed to return to their home. OPAP Arena or Agia Sophia was built at the exact place where Nikos Goumas stood. The brand-new stadium was unveiled in 2022, in what was a truly redemptive moment for every AEK fan.

Πατέρα, το γήπεδο έγινε or ‘Father, the ground was built’. A phrase painted a while ago just outside the stadium, by someone whose dad probably didn’t get the chance to return home. These words truly say everything there is to know about the importance of OPAP Arena to AEK fans. They had been homeless for years. And that’s a feeling Brighton fans know all too well. Now both clubs are on the up, living some of the best times of their history.

Almeyda’s magic wand and AEK’s problems

Matias Almeyda has been De Zerbi-esque for AEK. Mostly because his magic absolutely transformed the team and made it reach new levels. He came before the start of the 22/23 season and inherited a club in shambles, but he managed to lead the team to a historic double.

Last season was a dream for every AEK fan. The two-headed eagle returned home, in its new stadium and won the Greek double, while playing amazing high-pressing and attack-minded football. Matias is an idol thanks to all he’s managed to do in such little time, much like Roberto.

This year though, things are a bit different. The team stayed pretty much the same, but has at times struggled. Almeyda’s intense game is hard to maintain while playing twice every week and injuries haven’t helped. Sound familiar?

Levi Garcia’s, AEK’s most unique player, has had problems. The 26 year old striker had an amazing season last year and Ligue 1’s Lens came calling for him, offering 27 million euros in the summer. He went nowhere, but injuries have hampered his form. He has only played eight games this season, scoring once. He is pivotal and irreplaceable and he remains a doubt for the game against Brighton.

AEK scored three goals at the Amex, but converting their chances has been the main problem this season, both in the league and in Europe. They currently sit 3rd in the table, four points behind league leaders Panathinaikos. Europe is a huge deal for the club and Almeyda and everyone wants the team to, at least, continue into the Conference League.

Love for Premier League, respect for De Zerbi

There are times that Greek football’s toxicity leaves many football lovers suffocating. And this is mainly why people here view the Premier League as oxygen. Greeks have always loved English football but these days, more than ever, The Premier League is as huge as it gets, possibly even bigger than the Champions League.

Many people have a team they love in England. They follow them passionately. They get sad when things don’t go well and happy in the big moments. Maybe they care for it even more than their traditional team in Greece. Of course the Big-6 has a lot of supporters. Brighton are not a club that a lot of Greeks follow or root for yet.

The Seagulls might be a bit too humble (for now) for the glory hunters that choose to support the ‘big’ clubs. But De Zerbi is making sure this is changing.

Last year Brighton and their football caught the eye of many fans here, it earned them a lot of admirers, who appreciated what this club is doing: playing like the elites, but with nowhere near their resources. De Zerbi is well respected in the Greek football community and Brighton were considered AEK’s most difficult opposition in the group stage. More terrifying, better than Ajax or Marseille.

Everyone is counting down because everyone knows that a special team is coming to Greece: Roberto’s Seagulls, opening their wings for yet another flight of European glory.