Nikolaos Karabelas

Nikolaos Karabelas

Karabelas with AEK Athens in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Nikolaos Karabelas
Date of birth	20 December 1984
Place of birth	Pyrgos, Greece
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current team	Valladolid
Number	15
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2004–2006	Paniliakos	48	(2)
2006–2009	Aris	32	(0)
2009–2012	AEK Athens	70	(0)
2012–2016	Levante	40	(0)
2016–	Valladolid	4	(0)
National team^‡
2005	Greece U21	3	(0)
2014–	Greece	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 March 2016. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 November 2014

Nikolaos "Nikos" Karabelas (Greek: Νίκος Καράμπελας; born 20 December 1984) is a Greek footballer who plays for Spanish club Real Valladolid as a left back.

Club career

Karabelas made his debut with his hometown's Paniliakos in the Beta Ethniki in 2004. Two years later he joined Superleague side Aris, and quiclky established himself as a starter for the Yellows.

On 28 January 2009 Karabelas missed a penalty in a 0–0 draw against fierce rivals PAOK, which took Aris out of the Greek Cup finals.^[1] He subsequently received threats from the club's fans, and left the club in the end of the season.

On 10 June 2009 Karabelas signed a four-year deal with AEK Athens.^[2] After struggling to find his form in his debut season under Dušan Bajević, he appeared consistently in his second season, under Manolo Jiménez, and was deemed "irreplaceable" by the latter.^[3]

On 26 July 2012 Karabelas moved abroad for the first time in his career, by agreeing to a two-year deal with La Liga side Levante UD.^[4] He made his debut with the club on 19 August, starting and playing the full 90 minutes of a 1–1 home draw against Atletico Madrid.^[5] Karabelas appeared in only nine matches during the campaign, with the Valencian side achieving a comfortable mid-table finish.

In his second season with the Granotes, he was the most used left-back by manager Joaquín Caparrós, overtaking veteran Juanfran, and signed a new two-year deal on 20 March 2014.^[6] On 1 February 2016, after 3,5 years in Levante UD, the Greek defender signed a six months contract with Segunda División club Real Valladolid. ^[7]

International career

Karabelas was a member of the Greek U-21 team. On 14 May 2014 he was among the 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup,^[8] but was one of the seven players cut from Fernando Santos' final list.^[9]

He made his full international debut on 14 November 2014, in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against the Faroe Islands in Piraeus. Karabelas played 78 minutes of the shock 0–1 defeat before being replaced by Petros Mantalos.^[10]

Honours

AEK Athens

• Greek Cup: 2010–11

References

1. Αρης-ΠΑΟΚ 8-9 πεν. (0-0) (Aris–PAOK 8–9 pen. (0–0)); Contra, 28 January 2009 (Greek)
2. AEK Make First Signing of the Transfer Season; AEK Archives, 10 June 2009
3. ΑΕΚ: Νίκος Καράμπελας, ο αναντικατάστατος! (AEK: Nikos Karabelas, the irreplaceable!); Tovima, 29 July 2011 (Greek)
4. El Levante firma al jugador griego Nikos Karabelas (Levante signs Greek player Nikos Karabelas); Levante's official website, 26 July 2012 (Spanish)
5. Levante y Atlético invitan a dormir (Levante and Atlético invited to sleep); Marca, 20 August 2012 (Spanish)
6. Nikos Karampelas renueva con el Levante UD hasta 2016 (Nikos Karampelas renews with Levante UD until 2016); Levante's official profile, 20 March 2014 (Spanish)
7. Όλες οι μεταγραφές στο Sport24.gr
8. Αυτή είναι η προεπιλογή της Εθνικής (This is National team's pre-selection); Sport FM, 14 May 2014 (Greek)
9. World Cup 2014: Greece name Fulham striker Kostas Mitroglou in squad for Brazil despite just three times since January transfer; The Independent, 19 May 2014
10. "The Faroes stun Greece with brilliant away win". UEFA. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.

External links

• Nikolaos Karabelas profile at BDFutbol
• Nikolaos Karabelas profile at Soccerway