Petros Mantalos

Petros Mantalos

Personal information
Full name	Petros Mantalos
Date of birth	(1991-08-31) 31 August 1991
Place of birth	Komotini, Greece
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	AEK Athens
Number	20
Youth career
	Skoda Xanthi
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009–2013	Skoda Xanthi	50	(6)
2013–	AEK Athens	44	(11)
2013–2014	→ Skoda Xanthi (loan)	30	(6)
International career‡
2009–2010	Greece U-19	8	(2)
2011–	Greece U-21	6	(0)
2014–	Greece	6	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:01, 30 May 2016 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:38, 26 March 2016 (UTC)

Petros Mantalos (Greek: Πέτρος Μάνταλος, born 31 August 1991) is a Greek professional football player, currently playing for AEK Athens in the Super league as a midfielder.

Club career

Skoda Xanthi

Petros Mantalos began playing professional football for Super league side Skoda Xanthi. During his time at Skoda Xanthi, Mantalos played a total of 90 games (15 goals, 10 assists) in all competitions and he did his first steps for Greece national football team joining the U-19 and later the U-21 squad. His good appearances on the team Mantalos attracted the interest of Greek giants Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and the relegated to 3rd Division, but renewed AEK Athens .

AEK Athens

On summer 2013 Petros Mantalos agreed to join AEK Athens from the season 2014–15. AEK Athens signed Mantalos from Skoda Xanthi for a fee of €500,000. On August 23, 2014 Petros Mandalos was named MVP in a friendly match between AEK Athens and AS Roma when the Greek club lost 2-1 but "played better" as AS Roma's coach, Rudi García said. On October 19, 2014, Mantalos made his debut in a home match against Apollon Smyrnis scoring and making an assist which made his team win 2–1 overthrowing a 0–1 score against them. He was also handed the Man of the Match award. Mantalos ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and he is going to undergo a surgery which makes him miss the remainder of the season. The Greek attacking midfielder is expected to stay on the sidelines for four to six months missing potentially the start of AEK's pre-season over the summer. "It is the first time I suffer from such a severe injury", the 23-year-old said. "I haven't had many injuries, but that is life. I am now focused on coming back. I am not in a hurry. If it has to be six months, it will be six months, so that I will return strong. The sad thing is that I will be away from the team, but it doesn't hurt right now. I am fine. AEK can cope with my absence, they have proved that. I am just one of the 30 players". Until his injury was the leader of the club having 10 goals and 15 assists in 23 games in both Football League and Greek Cup. On 4 September 2015, he returned playing for the club in a friendly match against Panetolikos. On 17 December 2015, he scored his first goal in the season with the club, in a glorious 5-0 away win against Larissa F.C. for Greek Cup. On 20 April 2016, Mantalos scored the only goal for the first leg of the Greek Cup semifinal against Atromitos. On 17 May 2016, Mantalos, as the captain and MVP of the match, with a close-range header helped his club to win 2-1 champions Olympiakos in Cup's final at the Olympic Stadium of Athens and won the title for 15th time in their history.

International career

As a "second division" player Mantalos' international call in Greece national football team was a big surprise by Claudio Ranieri. On September 7, 2014 Mantalos made his international debut in a match against Romania for the European Qualifiers 2016.

Honours

AEK Athens

• Football League (1): 2015(South Group)

• Greek Cup (1): 2016

External links

• Insports profile (Greek)
• Petros Mantalos at Soccerway