Former Champions League star who ‘changed club’s world image’ with goal vs Barcelona now playing in non-league at 33

A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE leader has near elite shot to instrumentality to his roots for a non-league nine successful Greece.

The celebrated defender stood retired successful the Serie A playing for Roma and Napoli arsenic good arsenic Salernitana astir recently.

The ex-Greece international's performances successful Italy attracted the involvement of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea successful 2018 and 2019.

Reports astatine the clip suggested the Premier League trio was consenting to splash implicit £30million earlier the centre-back joined Napoli successful 2019 and embarked connected a three-year stint successful Naples.

That is nary different than Kostas Manolas, who made headlines astir the satellite successful the Champions League six years agone erstwhile his precocious header led Roma to a celebrated 3-0 triumph implicit Barcelona astatine the Olimpico.

It was acknowledgment to the Greek prima that the Giallorossi qualified for the semi-finals wherever they faced Liverpool, who moved connected to the final.

Manolas is present 33 years aged and it looks similar top-level shot is implicit for him arsenic helium amazed the satellite with his determination to play for his section nine Pannaxiakos successful the Cyclades' First Division until June.

The Olympiacos fable returns to his spot of commencement successful the isle of Naxos wherever helium and his household person present settled.

The ex-AEK Athens prima decided to assistance the squad aft a fewer grooming sessions with Giorgos Mostratos' side.

Pannaxiakos announced: "The President, the members of the Board of Directors and Pannaxiakos FC's large household denote the accomplishment of Kostas Manolas to the men's squad with large joy, emotion and pride.

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"The subordinate who wore the garment of AEK, Olympiacos, Roma, Napoli, the subordinate who honored the garment of Greece's Youth and Men's National Team, the Greek cardinal defender who has been admired by Europe, the Naxos autochthonal who has chosen his spot of commencement to reside with his family, volition fortify Pannaxiakos' effort successful this year's championship. Welcome Kostas!"

Manolas joined Roma successful 2014 pursuing 2 stunning years astatine Olympiacos successful the Champions League and went connected to amass a full of 8 goals successful 206 appearances earlier joining Napoli.

However, nary of his goals are much celebrated than the 1 against Lionel Messi and co, which helium claimed "changed Roma’s representation successful the world".

The ex-Greece star, who stood retired successful the 2014 World Cup and helped his state marque it to the knockouts for the archetypal clip ever, claimed the Italian giants could person adjacent made it to the Champions League last if VAR was available.

Manolas said 2 years ago: "It changed Roma’s representation successful the world.

“Yes, it was important. Not lone due to the fact that it was a 3-0 scoreline to suffice for a Champions League semi-final.

"But due to the fact that the full satellite understood that Roma are a large team. Before, Roma had different representation successful Europe, different story.

“But we excessively could person reached the last of that Champions League, if determination had been VAR.

"They didn’t springiness america a punishment connected [Edin] Dzeko for an offside that wasn’t there.

"They didn’t spot a handball by [Trent] Alexander-Arnold which would person been a punishment and reddish card. A extremity would person been capable to bushed Liverpool."