Michalis Bakakis

Michalis Bakakis
Bakakis with AEK Athens in 2018
Personal information
Full name Michail Bakakis
Date of birth (1991-03-18) 18 March 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Agrinio, Greece
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Panetolikos
Number 2
Youth career
2007–2008 Panetolikos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Panetolikos 14 (0)
2011–2012 Chania 19 (0)
2012–2014 Panetolikos 66 (2)
2014–2022 AEK Athens 130 (2)
2021 AEK Athens B 2 (0)
2022– Panetolikos 19 (0)
International career‡
2010 Greece U19 3 (0)
2014–2021 Greece 20 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:00, 6 June 2021 (UTC)

Michalis Bakakis (Greek: Μιχάλης Μπακάκης; born 18 March 1991) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Super League club Panetolikos.

Club career

Early career

Born on 18 March 1991 in Agrinio, Bakakis began his career with local side Panetolikos. His first professional appearance was a win match against Fokikos on 21 January 2009. In the summer of 2011 he transferred to Chania. He returned to Panetolikos on 31 July 2012.[1]

AEK Athens

On 15 April 2014, AEK Athens announced the agreement with the player for a 4-years' contract. In February 2015, shortly before the crucial match against Olympiacos for the Greek Cup, Bakakis stated that "We must be determined, passionate and concentrated. First of all we want to win the Football League title, so that AEK will return where they belong. But we are interested in the Greek Cup as well. It would be a dream come true if we manage to win both."[2] On 20 May 2015, in a home match against Olympiacos Volos he suffered a cruciate rupture, which left him out of the pitch for 6 months.[3]

The 26-year-old right back's contract had been due to expire in the summer of 2017 but that has now been stretched to 2019 by his club. Bakakis always had the desire to remain at AEK Athens and he was more than happy to commit his future to the club for the next two years.[4]

On 12 April 2017, Bakakis agreed to a contract extension with AEK, until the summer of 2020.[5]

At the start of the 2017–18 season he switched his number from 27 to 2. On 25 July 2017, he made his debut in the Champions League in a 2–0 home loss against CSKA Moscow for the third qualifying round.[6] On 23 February 2018, Bakakis was included in Europa League's Team of the Week for his performance in a 0–0 away draw against Dynamo Kyiv. The 27-year-old defender has been in excellent form for experienced Spanish manager Manolo Jimenez's team during 2017–18 season, playing mainly as central or left defender even if his natural position is at the right place of the defensive line.[7]

On 29 August 2018, Bakakis agreed to a contract extension with AEK, until the summer of 2023.[8] On 10 November 2019, the 28-year-old Greek international scored only the third goal of his AEK career, and his first strike in four-and-a-half years when he let fly from the edge of the box with a powerful shot which left Sokratis Dioudis no chance, in a devastating 3–2 away loss against Panathinaikos.[9]

On 31 March 2021, AEK will be deprived of the services of Michalis Bakakis, as the Greek back was injured in a national match against Georgia, as it confirmed the assessment that the tendon in his right leg has been affected. Eventually the international back has suffered a partial tendon rupture and will be out of action for at least two weeks. It is the third injury of Bakakis in 2021.[10]

On the beginning of November 2021, Michalis Bakakis has been put at the disposal of coach Sokratis Ofrydopoulos for AEK Athens B F.C., in order to find a competitive rhythm from the moment he has not had a match with the first team until today, but also to help the youngsters of the second team.[11] On 29 July 2021, the match that AEK excluded from the UEFA Conference League, was probably the last appearance until today of Michalis Bakakis with the jersey of the club. With Vladan Milojević, was almost excluded, but since the arrival of new coach Argirios Giannikis, the international defender has been informed that he is no longer considered as a member of the club, and that he can look for the next stage of his career.[12]

International career

He has represented Greece at U-19 level. Bakakis' debut with the Greece came against Serbia, replacing Vasilis Torosidis in November 2014.[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of 12 October 2024
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Panetolikos 2009–10 Football League 13 0 2 0 — — 15 0
2010–11 1 0 1 0 — — 2 0
2012–13 36 2 1 0 — — 37 2
2013–14 Superleague Greece 30 0 3 0 — — 33 0
Total 80 2 7 0 — — 87 2
Chania 2011–12 Football League 2 19 0 1 0 — — 20 0
AEK Athens 2014–15 Football League 20 1 8 1 — — 28 2
2015–16 Superleague Greece 7 0 7 0 — — 14 0
2016–17 11 0 4 0 0 0 — 15 0
2017–18 25 0 6 0 12 0 — 43 0
2018–19 25 0 7 0 10 0 — 42 0
2019–20 27 1 6 0 1 0 — 34 1
2020–21 15 0 0 0 3 0 — 18 0
2021–22 0 0 0 0 2 0 — 2 0
Total 130 2 38 1 28 0 — 196 3
AEK Athens B 2021–22 Superleague Greece 2 2 0 — — — 2 0
Panetolikos 2022–23 Superleague Greece 5 0 1 0 — — 6 0
2023–24 6 0 3 0 — — 9 0
2024–25 8 0 0 0 — — 8 0
Total 19 0 4 0 — — 23 0
Career total 250 4 50 1 28 0 0 0 328 5

Notes

A. ^ Includes appearances in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
B. ^ Includes appearances in the Superleague Greece play-offs.

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Greece
2014 1 0
2015 0 0
2018 6 0
2019 8 0
2020 2 0
2021 3 0
Total 20 0

Honours

AEK Athens

References

  1. ^ "Παίκτες του Παναιτωλικού Μπογκντανοβιτς-Μπακάκης". agriniovoice.gr. 31 July 2012.
  2. ^ "Bakakis dreams of double success". sdna.gr. 14 February 2015.
  3. ^ Σοκ!Έξι μήνες εκτός ο Μπακάκης Retrieved 21 May 2015
  4. ^ Συμφωνία της ΑΕΚ με Λαμπρόπουλο-Μπακάκη για νέο συμβόλαιο! (in Greek). sport24.gr. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Ανανέωσε και ο Μπακάκης!" (in Greek). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  6. ^ "Ήττα με κάτω τα χέρια για την ΑΕΚ". www.sport24.gr. 25 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Who makes our Europa League Team of the Week?" (in Greek). Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  8. ^ "Η ΑΕΚ "έδεσε" και τον Μπακάκη". sport24.gr. 29 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Παναθηναϊκός - AEK 3-2". sdna.gr. 10 November 2019.
  10. ^ "Bakakis is out of action for two weeks". www.athina984.gr. 2 April 2021.
  11. ^ "AEK: At the disposal of AEK B 'Bakakis – Football – Super League 2". news.fox-24.com. 4 November 2021.
  12. ^ "ΑΕΚ: H αλήθεια για Μπακάκη και Λας Πάλμας". www.sport24.gr. 25 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Greece V Serbia 0-2". sportinglife.com. 18 November 2014.
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