Giorgos Katsikas

Giorgos Katsikas

Personal information
Full name	Georgios Katsikas
Date of birth	(1990-06-14) 14 June 1990
Place of birth	Thessaloniki, Greece
Height
Position(s)	Centre back
Team information
Current team	free agent
Youth career
1998–2008	Iraklis
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2011	Iraklis	14	(0)
2008–2009	→ Olympiakos Volou (loan)	19	(1)
2011–2015	PAOK	40	(4)
2015–2016	Twente	3	(0)
International career‡
2008–2009	Greece U-19	4	(0)
2010–2012	Greece U-21	5	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 May 2016 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 February 2011

Giorgos Katsikas (Greek: Γιώργος Κατσικάς) (born 14 June 1990) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a centre back. On April 3, 2015, along with Fanis Tzandaris, he solved his contract with PAOK FC, receiving his payment till the end of the season, since neither of them was in manager's Giorgos Georgiadis' plans.

Early life

Katsikas started his career in the youth ranks of Iraklis. He was brought there, when he was eight years old, by his father, a former player of Iraklis.

Club career

Iraklis

In the summer of 2008 he was loaned out to Olympiakos Volos, then playing in Beta Ethniki, to gain first team experience. He debuted for Olympiakos Volos in the opening game of the 2008-09 season, a 0-0 away draw against Pierikos. He even managed to score for Olympiakos Volos, to help the club grab an 1-1 home draw against Veria. Until the end of the season he totally featured in 19 matches not managing to score any other goals. After his loan spell in Volos Katsikas returned to Iraklis for the 2009-10 season. He could not break into the starting lineup, but nevertheless he made his debut for Iraklis in a cup against Gamma Ethniki side Trikala. Katsikas was sent off in his debut and eventually Iraklis got eliminated by the Cup after losing the contest by a 1-0 scoreline. In that season he also made his league debut for Iraklis, as he came in for teammate Achilleas Sarakatsanos in the 84th minute, in a 2-0 away defeat from Panathinaikos. In his second season for Iraklis Katsikas featured regularly in the playing squad of the club, playing in 13 of the club's league matches until February. On 9 February 2011 Katsikas suffered a torn cruciate ligament, in a friendly match of Greece U-21, and lost the remainder of the season.

PAOK

On 14 October 2011 Katsikas signed a four years contract with PAOK, after he was released from Iraklis. On 4 January 2012 he made his debut for the club in 3-1 home win against Levadiakos. He scored his first goal for PAOK against Rapid Wien in August 2012, while his first league goal came into the local derby between PAOK and Aris in a 4-1 win for PAOK. On April 3, 2015 George Katsikas along with Fanis Tzandaris have solved their contracts with PAOK, receiving his payment till the end of the season,since neither of them was in manager Giorgos Georgiadis' plans.

Twente

On 2 July 2015, Katsikas signed a year contract with the Dutch club Twente for an undisclosed fee. Twente coach Alfred Schreuder was pleased with this transfer as he could build on Katsikas' experience. On 9 September 2015 in the training, Katsikas has suffered a cruciate ligament rupture and he is going to undergo a surgery which makes him miss the remainder of the season. The Greek centre back is expected to stay on the sidelines for six to nine months missing potentially the start of Twente's pre-season over the summer 2016.

International career

He was a member of the Greek U-21 team that participated in the 2009 Mediterranean Games and he played in the matches against Syria, Italy and Turkey.

External links

• Giorgos Katsikas at the official page of Iraklis Thessaloniki FC