Dimitris Giannelis: The man behind the modern transition of Aris Limassol

Manos Staramopoulos • 25 de enero de 2026

Interview with Giannelis, General Manager of Aris Limassol in Nicosia.

Manos Staramopoulos Chief Editor of Discoveryfootball with Dimitris Giannelis, General Manager of Aris Limassol.

Dimitris Giannelis is not defined only by his titles, but by the path and the consistency with which he justifies them. Educated in Athens and London, with a deep knowledge of both business and sports reality, he is currently the general manager of Aris Limassol, at a time when the club has definitively entered the modern era. A highly motivated, results-oriented, hard-working and completely professional man, he has a proven track record of leading and managing teams in critical phases of development and change. From his entrepreneurial starting point in the HORECA sector in Greece, to administrative and commercial responsibilities in Cyprus and Europe, he has moved comfortably between marketing, strategy, operations, financial management, social media and the development of large projects and events, actively participating in the management of organizations at board level. His career at AEL Limassol, his European experience as a sales consultant and, now, his role at Aris, compose the profile of an executive who is not satisfied with managing everyday life, but is constantly looking for the next step. With this philosophy and this path, the conversation with him acquires particular depth and substance.

Mr. Giannelis was meet in Nicosia by Manos Staramopoulos and had an interesting conversation with him.

DF: Aris Limassol was not just a project – it was a vision that became a championship. When does the story of the rebirth of Aris Limassol actually begin?

“It all started in the 20-21 season. At that time, Aris was, without exaggeration, in a bad financial situation, while in previous years it was between the first and second divisions. During the season, many attempts were made by the President of the Club to find an investor to take over the reins of the Football Department because the time (but mainly the financial) margins had begun to narrow dangerously. That was when the first discussions took place with the Belarusian investors and subsequent owners, who from the very beginning had a clear plan: To create a team from scratch and in the long term to star in the Cyprus Championship but also to lay the foundations for a continuous presence in European competitions, something that Aris Limassol had never tasted before in its ninety-year history. We discussed for hours and I immediately understood that We were not talking about a simple investment, but about great plans with a long-term perspective. The seriousness that distinguished them and the will to make Aris a protagonist were evident from the first minutes of our contacts.

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DF: How did your involvement arise?

"After my six-year presence in another team in the city (AEL) as General Manager, the President of the Aris Limassol Club, Mr. Lysandrou, invited me to help save this historic club in the city, something I could not refuse. This was the reason why I decided to collaborate with him, taking on the position of General Manager."

DF: What was the first big step in the game?

"With… good morning. With coach Liassos Loukas (whom the older ones also remember from his tenure at PAOK) we immediately secured promotion. In the 2020–21 season, we finished second in the B Division and were promoted to the A Division".

DF: However, promotion was not the ceiling…

"Not at all. The first moves of the owners were immediately implemented, both in the competitive and organizational aspects. (Creation of a company with Mr. Vladimir Fedorov as President). In February, Liassos Loukas left, leaving an important legacy in the team, and we moved on with the Belarusian Alexei Spilevski, a coach who left his mark, culminating in the Cyprus Championship, the first in our history. At the same time, targeted transfers were made that year, with the highlight being the acquisition of the Gabonese winger Babika, who the following season, due to his excellent performances, was transferred to the French Toulouse. The team continued to raise its level competitively and spiritually. That season (2021–22) we finished 4th in the A' division, which gave us a European ticket for the first time, for the UEFA Europa Conference League 2022–23".

DF: Is there a milestone game that stands out to you?

“Of course, that year the away win over Anorthosis on the last matchday with 3-0 that gave us the European ticket and the European nights. We beat Neftchi Baku 2-0 in Larnaca, although in Azerbaijan we lost 3-0. Nevertheless, the overall picture was impressive".

DF: What did the new stadium signify?

“At the end of 2022 we entered our new stadium, a real jewel that all the teams in our city use. It is a category 4 stadium with a capacity of 10,700 seats and has hybrid turf, which allows it to be in excellent condition despite It is used by the three teams of our city plus Pafos FC for its European matches. This is obvious for European standards because there is no other stadium in Europe with such heavy use. Of course, nothing is accidental. Aris has invested both in know-how by bringing experienced technicians from abroad and in equipment and has created its own team for the maintenance of both the central stadium and our training center. This is another clear example that Aris had changed level.

DF: And we reach the historic summer of 2023…

"Exactly. In the summer of 2023 we won for the first time in our history. As well as the Super Cup by defeating Omonia in the final. It was the absolute vindication of a vision. Also noteworthy the following year is our presence in the Europa League group, facing Real Betis, Sparta Praha, as well as Rangers FC, where in Limassol we achieved our first victory in the groups (2-1) while in Glasgow we got a draw (1-1)"

DF: How do you see this year's title battle?

"There are four favorites: Omonia, Paphos FC, AEK Larnaca and of course Aris. The European games and how the teams will find themselves in the playoffs will play a decisive role, because the teams started playing in July - and this changes everything in the long run. -Let's move on to European issues".

DF: How do you see Yamal?

"Lamine Yamal is a huge talent, but he cannot be considered the successor of either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. The reasons are many, mainly historical, competitive and contemporaneous".