Nikolaos Karabelas

Greek footballer

Nikolaos Karabelas

Karabelas with AEK Athens in 2011

Personal information
Full name|  Nikolaos Karabelas
Date of birth|  (1984-12-20) 20 December 1984 (age 38)
Place of birth|  Pyrgos, Greece
Height|  1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)|  Left back
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|  11|  (0)
2016–2017|  Aris|  26|  (1)
International career‡
2005|  Greece U21|  3|  (0)
2014|  Greece|  1|  (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 June 2017
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2014

Nikolaos "Nikos" Karabelas (Greek: Νίκος Καράμπελας; born 20 December 1984) is a Greek former footballer who played as a left back.

## Club career[edit]

Karabelas made his debut with his hometown's Paniliakos in the Beta Ethniki in 2004. Two years later he joined Superleague side Aris, and quickly 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 Atlético 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]

On 30 August 2016, the international left back signed a three-season contract with Aris and returned to the club after seven years.[8] On 8 January 2017 he scored his first goal against Panegialios.

## International career[edit]

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,[9] but was one of the seven players cut from Fernando Santos' final list.[10]

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.[11]

## Honours[edit]

AEK Athens

* Greek Cup: 2010–11

## References[edit]

1. ^ Αρης-ΠΑΟΚ 8–9 πεν. (0–0) (Aris–PAOK 8–9 pen. (0–0)); Contra, 28 January 2009 (in 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 (in Greek)
4. ^ El Levante firma al jugador griego Nikos Karabelas (Levante signs Greek player Nikos Karabelas) Archived 17 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine; Levante's official website, 26 July 2012 (in Spanish)
5. ^ Levante y Atlético invitan a dormir (Levante and Atlético invited to sleep); Marca, 20 August 2012 (in Spanish)
6. ^ Nikos Karampelas renueva con el Levante UD hasta 2016 (Nikos Karampelas renews with Levante UD until 2016) Archived 12 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Levante's official profile, 20 March 2014 (in Spanish)
7. ^ Όλες οι μεταγραφές στο Sport24.gr
8. ^ Επίσημο: Υπέγραψαν Μπαργκάν και Καράμπελας στον Άρη
9. ^ Αυτή είναι η προεπιλογή της Εθνικής (This is National team's pre-selection); Sport FM, 14 May 2014 (in Greek)
10. ^ 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
11. ^ "The Faroes stun Greece with brilliant away win". UEFA. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.

## External links[edit]

* Nikolaos Karabelas at BDFutbol
* Nikolaos Karabelas at Soccerway

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals