Christos Patsatzoglou

Christos Patsatzoglou

Patsatzoglou with Olympiacos
Personal information
Full name	Christos Patsatzoglou
Date of birth	19 March 1979
Place of birth	Xanthi, Greece
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Right back / Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team	Panionios
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1996–2000	Skoda Xanthi	87	(8)
2000–2009	Olympiacos	116	(8)
2009–2010	Omonia	6	(0)
2010	AEK Athens	7	(0)
2011–2013	PAS Giannina	35	(1)
2013–2015	Iraklis Psachna	44	(5)
2015–	Chalkida	1
National team^‡
1999–2002	Greece U21	20	(3)
2000–2010	Greece	45	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 May 2015. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 September 2010

Christos Patsatzoglou (Greek: Χρήστος Πατσατζόγλου; born 19 March 1979) is a Greek international football player of Romani origin.^[1][2] Patsatzoglou started his career in Skoda Xanthi before being transferred to Olympiacos where he won several national titles. He then moved to Omonia in Cyprus where he won the double. Patsatzoglou also had spells with AEK Athens and PAS Giannina. Patsatzoglou has also been capped in no less than 45 occasions with Greece.

Club career

Early career

He started playing football for his hometown's local team Aghia Eleousa and managed a place in Greece U-17 national team. His talent was spotted by Skoda Xanthi's scouts and he was transferred there in 1996. He played for their first team for 4 years, from 1996–1997 to 1999–2000.

Olympiacos

He was considered to be one of Greece's top footballing talents, along with Giourkas Seitaridis, until he was devastatingly injured in 2003, at a derby game between Olympiacos and AEK Athens. Just before his injury, Olympiakos declined a £6m offer from Manchester United for Patsatzoglou who was in Sir Alex Ferguson plans. He work to recover from his injury for about two years, and made his comeback near the end of the 2004–2005 season.

He stated that he was healthy again and that it was up to his coach, Trond Sollied to play him now. Sollied was not sure if Patsatzoglou could play again in such a competitive level, but he was willing to give him more chances in the 2005–2006 season.

During the season 2006/2007, Patsatzoglou suffered another knee injury, unrelated to his previous one, at the away Champions League match against Roma. Upon his return, he played a handful of games.

In the 2007–08 season, Patsatzoglou scored the winning the goal in the UEFA Champions League match against Werder Bremen. The goal would lead to Olympiakos' first Champions League away win, finishing 1–3.

Omonia

On 1 June 2009 it was announced that Patsatzoglou will play for his ex-coach Takis Lemonis, this time though for Cypriot club Omonia. Patsatzoglou agreed to a 2-year deal earning €800,000. Patsatzoglou indicated he wants to leave in the summer transfer window and return to Greece. Being played out of position at centre-back has been cited as the reason for his desire to leave. Patsatzoglou only played six league matches due to his long term injury.

AEK Athens

On 30 August 2010 Patsatzoglou agreed on terms with AEK Athens signing a 1-year deal.^[3] Patsatzoglou was also rejoined with manager Dusan Bajevic. Patsatzoglou was given the number 2. Patsatzoglou made his debut for AEK against Panserraikos coming on as a substitute. He is no longer with AEK Athens since January 2011.

PAS Giannina

In January 2011 Patsatzouglou signed for PAS Giannina a team in the second division hoping to get again in Super League Greece. In November 2012 Patsatzoglou, who was on the team for the game against OFI Crete, disappeared making an appeal to the club due to a ten-day delay of a contract' dose.^[4] At that time, awaiting the final court decision for the appeal has been filed against PAS Giannina, Patsatzoglou was in England where he tried to open a new page in his career. The Greek international tested in Bolton Wanderers F.C. struggling to convince the team staff. He had also the best recommendations from Stelios Giannakopoulos, whom opinion always counts in «Reebok Stadium». However, if this scenario did not proceed, Patsatzoglou was willing to exhaust every possibility for playing in England, at least until the end of the 2012/13 season.^[5]

Iraklis Psachna

In July 2013 Patsatzoglou signed a 2+1 years' contract for Greek Football League club Iraklis Psachna^[6]

AEK Chalkidas FC

In July 2015 Patsatzoglou signed a new contract with the local A' Division of Evia Island team AEK Chalkidos. ^[7]

International career

Patsatzoglou was selected for the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, although he had already made his full debut against Germany. He appeared once in a qualifying match for UEFA EURO 2004, but not in the final tournament itself.

Patsatzoglou was part of the 23-man squad that represented Greece at Euro 2008. He also participated in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, making two appearances against South Korea and Argentina, both as a substitute.

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	11 October 2006	Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina	Bosnia and Herzegovina	0–4	Win	UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier

Honours

Club

Olympiacos

• Superleague Greece (8): 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09
• Greek Football Cup (4): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09
• Greek Super Cup (1): 2007

Omonia

• Cypriot First Division (1): 2009–10
• LTV Super Cup (1): 2009–10

Individual

• Best Young Player (1): 1999–2000

References

1. Οι 10 καλύτεροι τσιγγάνοι ποδοσφαιριστές (in Greek). balleto.gr. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
2. "Στον καιρό των Τσιγγάνων (και της Μαρίας)" (in Greek). tvxs.gr. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
3. Patsatzoglou signs 1 year deal with AEK
4. Προσφυγή από Πατσατζόγλου (in Greek). sport24.gr. 24 November 2012.
5. Πατσατζόγλου για Μπόλτον! (in Greek). sentragoal.gr. 21 December 2012.
6. Ο Πατσατζόγλου στα Ψαχνά! (in Greek). footballleaguenews.gr. 2013-07-27. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
7. |url=http://www.egnomi.gr/article/62840/oles_oi_metagrafes_stin_katigoria_eyboias.html?category_id=9

External links

• Christos Patsatzoglou at National-Football-Teams.com
• Christos Patsatzoglou – FIFA competition record
• 2010 FIFA World Cup profile