AEK ATHENS home record in European football in recent years has been patchy to say the least. Celtic have been notoriously poor travellers in European football in recent times although last season’s 3-0 win at Anderlecht in the Group Stages and the 1-0 win in Norway against Rosenborg are notable highlights.
But what about AEK Athens home form in European football in recent times?
If we start on 26 August 2010 – most Celtic fans will have been forgiven for not paying too much attention to how AEK Athens faired that evening at home to Dundee United.
Celtic were getting hammered 4-0 away to Utrecht with Ricky Van Wolfswinkel scoring a hat-trick. It was a painful night for Celtic but a better for Dundee United as Daly grabbed a late equaliser to level the Europa League Play-off tie at 1-1. AEK however sneaked through at Tannadice winning the return 2-1.
The next two sides to visit Athens were two of our opponents from last season. First up was Zenit St Petersburg who recorded a comfortable 3-0 win and they were followed by Anderlecht who managed to get a 1-1 draw.
AEK Athens’ final home game of that season’s Europa League Group stage resulted in a 3-1 win over Croatian side Hajduk Split.
Season 2011-12 saw AEK Athens win through to the Europa Group stages again after 1-0 home win and 1-1 away result against Dinamo Tbilisi. Their fortunes in their home ties in the Group stages was poor by comparison, with AEK Athens losing to Anderlecht by 2-1, the same score in their defeat by Sturm Graz and finally a 3-1 loss in Athens against Lokomotiv Moscow.
AEK Athens were not involved in European competition again until season 2016-17 when they lost 1-0 French visitors St Etienne by 1-0. That was the only goal of the Play-off and the Greeks were out.
Last season AEK lost in the Champions League qualifier 3-0 on aggregate to CSKA Moscow – with the game in Athens finishing 2-0 for the Russians. They went to the Europa League instead where their home form was slightly better, in that they managed one win and a number of drawn matches – an improvement when set alongside their previous home form.
Club Bruge were beaten 3-0 in Athens in the stand-out result of all the ones we have considered. This was followed by a goalless draw against AC Milan, a 2-2 draw against Austria Wien and the same score against Croatian side Rijeka.
AEk secured 3 goalless draws in the away games plus a 2-1 win in Croatia to get themselves out of the group stages and into the Europa League last 32.
When Celtic were playing Zenit St Petersburg last season, AEK were facing Dynamo Kiev with the Ukrainian side progressing on the away goals rule after the tie ended 1-1.
So this AEK Athens side are stuffy away from home – as we found out last Wednesday in the 1-1 draw at Celtic Park, but are no great shakes at home at the Athens Olympic Stadium.
Conclusion? Celtic have nothing to fear here.
