Christos Patsatzoglou

Christos Patsatzoglou (Greek language: Χρήστος Πατσατζόγλου) (born March 19, 1979) is a Greeks international football player.
He is currently playing for Olympiacos in Greece as a midfielder or right wing-back.

He is a product of Skoda Xanthi's youth system and played for their first team for 4 years, from 1996-97 in Greek football to 1999-00 in Greek football.

The versatile player, able to play as a right-back and wing-back, as a central defender and a sweeper and as a midfielder, signed for champions Olympiacos for the 2000-01 in Greek football where he quickly became an invaluable member of the first team, usually playing as a wing-back.



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 FC.

Christos had hurt his Achilles’ tendon weeks before, but was treated with cortisone injections in order to keep on playing, as Olympiacos didn’t want to start some of the most important games of the season without their gifted 24-year old and as a result, his foot was infected.

Little did they know that they would have to do without him for more than 3 years. Surgery upon surgery and physio treatment upon physio treatment couldn’t complete the recovery as the problems returned whenever he started training for football again.

However, his iron will and determination seemed to be coming through near the end of the 2004-05 in Greek football, when he made his first Alpha Ethniki appearance after 3 years. He stated that he was healthy again and that it was up to his coach, Trond Sollied to play him now.

Olympiacos coach Trond Sollied hadn’t seen him in his glory days and was troubled if Christos could play again in such a competitive level. He was willing, however, to give him more chances that season (2005-06 in Greek football) and seemed to be counting on him more for the position of defensive midfielder, in the place of Ieroklis Stoltidis.

During the season 2006/2007, Patsa showed that he can once again feature heavily for his team, even though he suffered a knee injury, unrelated to his previous one, at the away Champions League match with Roma. Upon his return, he played a handful of games, even started some and it is clear that his future remains bright.

Olympiacos fans loved “Patsa” for his ability before his injury and they support him even more after it. His name is always chanted through the stadium when he starts his warm-up and they encourage him in his every effort. His willpower and mental strength are really wondrous, because it is not often that we see players performing again on a high level after such prolonged injuries.

A place in Greece's squad for the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship further broadened the versatile Patsatzoglou's experience, although he had already made his full debut against Germany national football team. He appeared once in 2004 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying but not the 2004 UEFA European Football Championship and injury subsequently kept him out of the reckoning.

Patsatzoglou was one of few Olympiacos players that were always called by Otto Rehhagel to represent the Greece national football team and he will definitely return if he manages to get close to his previous level of ability, especially with Theodoros Zagorakis’ international retirement coming closer.

Trivia

- Patsatzoglou uses the nickname 'Patsa' on his shirt.

Reference

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