AEK beats De Graafschap 2-1 in Dutch pre‑season friendly

AEK Athens opened its summer preparations with a 2‑1 victory over Dutch side De Graafschap in the Netherlands. Goals were scored by Varga and newcomer Alexander Zumbcof, who netted his first for the club. Coach Marco Nicolić said the match “was not competitive at the start but we will start to press the gas” and praised the performances of young players such as Georgiev, Kairinen and the returning Pineda, while noting that several squad members (Jović, Zini, Luca) were kept out for precaution.

The friendly was marked by a high number of yellow cards and a physical style of play. Nicolić confirmed that the transfer window had just opened, stating that “we need to bring a few more players, maybe two or three, depending on departures,” and that negotiations are underway for additional signings. He also reiterated Pineda’s contract status, calling him “one of our best players” with a year left on his deal. A next friendly against FitteSe is scheduled for the following week.