Panagiotis Kikianis is spearheading the latest cohort of Adelaide United products. aleagues.com.au looks at the numbers behind the talented young defender.
For so long, defence has been Adelaide United’s Achilles heel. For all of their entertainment in attack, down back is where the Reds have come unstuck in search of a second Isuzu UTE A-League Championship.
But the early signs indicate that area of concern has been rectified heading into Round 9 and a showdown with Sydney FC on Friday night.
A key part of an Adelaide defence that has shipped just nine goals through eight rounds – compared to 16 in 2023-24, has been the emergence of Panagiotis Kikianis.
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Kikianis is a history maker. Before 2024-25 got underway, he signed a five-year deal with the Reds – the longest contract in the club’s history.
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The 19-year-old, who made his debut in Round 15 last campaign, is repaying the faith at Coopers Stadium, where Adelaide are enjoying their best start to a season since 2014-15.
With former Sparta Rotterdam captain Bart Vriends by his side, the highly-rated defender is learning and taking his game to a new level under Carl Veart this term.
“Massively,” Adelaide assistant Mark Milligan said on Total A-Leagues when asked how important Vriends has been to Kikianis’ growth. “Comes with a great deal of experience and quite strong resume. So that that was always sort of the hope that bringing in a player like Bart will be able to guide, not only Pana but a few other young centre-backs that we have.
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“It was very important that the club got that right because it has been a little bit of a an inconsistent area for us. We’ve had to sort of find a lot of different solutions, especially over the last few years. That consistency in having someone of of Bart’s pedigree is massive.
“We have high hopes for players like Pana. I think he’s come a long way in the at the start of this season. Obviously we saw glimpses of it last year. But there’s a number of factors that that add to that, including being fit and him learning about his body and things like that as well.
“To have someone like Bart there and guiding you, I know how important it was from for me as a player to have those players around.”
This is a player who’s played just 12 A-Leagues matches to date, yet he is one of the most exciting prospects in the competition and another talent off Adelaide’s famed production line.
At Adelaide this season, Kikianis leads the team in passes attempted (611), passes in own half (393), clearances (34) and blocks (five).
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“He’s an exceptional talent with immense potential, and he’s already shown what he’s capable of on the field,” Veart said at the start of the season.
“Pana’s commitment to the club is a testament to his dedication and ambition, and we’re excited to continue nurturing his development and watching him flourish in the coming years.
“His dedication, talent, and positive attitude make him an integral part of our squad at such a young age.”
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Kikianis is a modern defender, able to progress forward and carry the ball out of defence.
This season among Isuzu UTE A-League defenders, he ranks second for carries (175) and carry directness (70.2), while he is also second for successful passes (542).
Kikianis is third for total carry distance (1551.7), total carry progress (706.6) and successful passes in the opposition half (182). He is also in the top 15 for possession won (25) and tackles (14).
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When you consider all-time stats among players under 20 in the history of the Isuzu UTE A-League, Kikianis is sixth for total carries (258) – behind Nestory Irankunda, Josh Rawlins, Ethan Alagich, Clayton Taylor and Bernardo Oliveira.
He is also 10th for total carry progress (1006), further highlighting his ability on the ball.
“Pana has made significant sacrifices to get this opportunity and we are excited about what the future holds for him,” Adelaide’s head of football Marius Zanin said at the start of the season.
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