Panagiotis Retsos

Panagiotis Retsos (Greek: Παναγιώτης Ρέτσος, born 9 August 1998) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a defender for Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, and the Greece national team.

Panagiotis Retsos
Retsos with Bayer Leverkusen in 2018
Personal information
Full name Panagiotis Retsos[1]
Date of birth (1998-08-09) 9 August 1998[2]
Place of birth Johannesburg, South Africa
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[3]
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Saint-Étienne
(on loan from Bayer Leverkusen)
Number 4
Youth career
2008–2016 Olympiacos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Olympiacos 20 (0)
2017– Bayer Leverkusen 27 (1)
2020 → Sheffield United (loan) 0 (0)
2020– → Saint-Étienne (loan) 4 (0)
National team‡
2014–2015 Greece U17 10 (0)
2015 Greece U18 3 (1)
2016–2017 Greece U19 10 (0)
2019– Greece U21 4 (0)
2017– Greece 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:49, 09 January 2021 (UTC).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2019

Club career

Olympiacos

In the summer of 2016, at age 18, he was promoted from Olympiacos' youth team by first manager Víctor Sánchez, who was impressed by his stamina.[4] On 25 August 2016 he made his debut with the club in a Europa League play offs home match against Arouca.

On 8 February 2017, Retsos has appointed captain of the club in a Greek Cup goalless home draw against Atromitos.[5] Retsos became the youngest captain of a Greek champion club aged only 18, five months and 30 days.

Bayer Leverkusen

On 30 August 2017, the 19-year-old Retsos was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £15.75 million. The Bundesliga outfit believe they have signed themselves a future star, with the teenager having already broken records in his career. The 19-year-old centre-back has signed a five-year deal with the Bundesliga outfit after Leverkusen beat off competition from Ligue 1 sides Stade Rennes and Lyon for his signature.[6][7] On 17 September 2017, he made his debut in Bundesliga in a 4–0 home win game against SC Freiburg as a starter. On the club's Twitter account, Retsos was voted the Man of the Match.[8]

On 9 April 2018, substitute Retsos scored his first goal in Bundesliga by firing into the far corner after a left-wing free-kick broke to him at the far post, in a 4–1 away win against RB Leipzig. It was his first goal in his professional career. In the Bundesliga this season, Retsos has made a total of 14 starts so far and has also made six substitute appearances. He has impressed during this time, displaying composure at the back for the German outfit.[9][10]

On 2 August 2018, Retsos suffered a heavy blow to the quadriceps during pre-season training with Bayer Leverkusen and according to the initial medical evaluation, he was diagnosed with tendonitis in the right thigh. The injury is expected to sideline the defender for at least six weeks. It is Retsos’ first serious injury with the German club and he will miss the kick-off of the 2018–19 Bundesliga season.[11][12] On 26 October 2018, Retsos is available for selection again and was on the Bayer Leverkusen bench in a UEFA Europa League match against FC Zurich.

On 29 November 2018, after a very difficult period for the defender marred by injury (208 days to be exact), Retsos returned to action in a UEFA Europa League home game against Ludogorets,[13] but was unlucky as in the first half hour left the pitch with a muscular injury on his left thigh and according to the initial reports, Retsos will now spend another 10-12 weeks on the sidelines.[14] On 29 October 2019, after a second very difficult period for the defender marred by injury (334 days to be exact), played in a DFB-Pokal game as a substitute in a 1–0 home win against Padeborn.[15]

Loan to Sheffield United

On 1 February 2020, Retsos signed for Premier League club Sheffield United on loan from Bayer Leverkusen until the end of the 2019–20 season.[16]

Loan to Saint-Étienne

On 4 October 2020, Bayer Leverkusen's agreement with Saint-Étienne for the loan of Panagiotis Retsos to the French club has been completed with a purchase option of €6.5 million for the summer of 2021. The Germans will keep a 15% resale value and the 22-year-old centre-back is even expected to travel to France in the next few hours to complete his permanent transfer to the French club.[17]

International career

Retsos, being born in South Africa, was eligible to represent South Africa. However, he decided to represent Greece, as he and his family returned to their native Greece when Retsos was aged one. [18]

He made his debut for Greece on 31 August 2017, in a 0–0 home draw against Estonia in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Personal life

Retsos was born in Johannesburg[19] to Greek parents, Christos and Eleni. He has a younger cousin, Christos who is also a footballer.

Career statistics
As of 25 October 2020[20][21]
Club performance League National Cup League Cup Europe Total
Season Club League AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Greece League Greek Cup League Cup Europe Total
2016–17OlympiacosSupeleague Greece180800080340
2017–182000004060
Total 2008000120400
Germany Bundesliga Cup[22] Other Europe Total
2017–18Bayer LeverkusenBundesliga241400000281
2018–190000001010
2019–203010002060
Total 271500030351
2019–20Sheffield UnitedPremier League0010000010
2020-21Saint-ÉtienneLigue 12000000020
Career total 49114000150781

Honours

Olympiacos

Individual

References
  1. "Updated squad lists for 2019/20 Premier League". Premier League. 6 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  2. "Panagiotis Retsos". ESPN. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  3. "Panagiotis Retsos: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  4. Ορισμός του value for money ο πιτσιρικάς Ρέτσος!;Retrieved 14 July 2016
  5. Τι έζησε αυτό το παιδί!;Retrieved 8 February 2017
  6. Bayer Leverkusen sign Panagiotis Retsos from Olympiacos;Retrieved 31 August 2017
  7. Η πρώτη φωτογραφία του Ρέτσου με τη φανέλα της Λεβερκούζεν;Retrieved 31 August 2017
  8. Bayern Leverkusen vs SC Freiburg 4-0;Retrieved 17 September 2017
  9. RB Leipzig - Bayer Leverkusen 1:4 Leverkusen feiert furiosen Sieg in Leipzig;Retrieved 9 April 2018
  10. RB Leipzig - Bayer Leverkusen 1:4: Werkself siegt deutlich und klettert auf Rang vier;Retrieved 9 April 2018
  11. - Ατυχος ο Ρέτσος, έξι εβδομάδες εκτός;Retrieved 2August 2018
  12. - Die nächste Verletzung Bayer-Pechvogel Panagiotis Retsos fällt wieder aus;Retrieved 2August 2018
  13. Παναγιώτης Ρέτσος: Παίζει σε επίσημο ματς μετά από 208 μέρες!;Retrieved 29 November 2018
  14. Ο Ρέτσος αποχώρησε τραυματίας στην πρώτη συμμετοχή του μετά από επτά μήνες!;Retrieved 29 November 2018
  15. Επέστρεψε ύστερα από 334 μέρες για την Λεβερκούζεν ο Ρέτσος!;Retrieved 29 October 2019
  16. Sheffield United: Richairo Zivkovic and Panagiotis Retsos join on loan;Retrieved 1 February 2020
  17. Ρέτσος: Δανεικός στη Σεντ Ετιέν με οψιόν αγοράς 6,5 εκατ. ευρώ;Retrieved 4 October 2020
  18. "Mzansi-Born Star Explains Why He Represents Greece, Not SA". 18 October 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  20. "Panagiotis Retsos". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  21. "Panagiotis Retsos". superleaguegreece.net. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  22. includes DFB-Pokal
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