Supplier: NikeSponsor(s): Piraeus BankFeatures: TIM The summer of 2003 started with severe financial and administrative problems for another season in the history of AEK.

The administration of the court of first instance was trying to put the club in an order after the "mess" of Psomiadis[1] and things were very difficult, while the "star" of the team, Demis Nikolaidis also left for Atlético Madrid.

Everything looked disappointing, but suddenly, in the summer, the climate reversed after some strong transfers were made with the acquisition of Nikos Liberopoulos and Ioannis Okkas with the help of the then outsider, Dimitris Melissanidis, while almost all the other players of the very good roster of the previous year remained.

[2] With the assumption of the technical leadership by the Romanian Ilie Dumitrescu, AEK eventually finished at the 4th place of the league with the players presenting themselves far below their value and the team looking disjointed and weak throughout during the season.

Thus, AEK qualified for a second year in a row in the group stage of the Champions League and were drawn with Monaco, Deportivo La Coruña and PSV Eindhoven, where they finished last after 2 draws and 4 defeats.

In the rematch at Giannis Pathiakakis Stadium, the yellow-blacks appeared inferior to the circumstances, ultimately losing with 0–1 and thus they were eliminated from the final.

As the season progressed, the team's financial and administrative situation appeared to have reached their limits, with the result that the very existence of the club was threatened.