The Second Chance That Slipped Away

It is a story of high hopes and hollow returns. Robert Lubisic, the Croatian winger, still wears the badge of AEK Athens, but the writing is on the wall. The club has unofficially placed a "sold" sticker on his back. Why? Because he squandered the lifeline thrown to him by manager Marco Nicolitch, and the hierarchy at the union is no longer willing to wait for a miracle that never came.

Last summer, Lubisic was in disfavor under Matias Almeida. But when Nicolitch took the helm, he handed Lubisic the starting jersey and a rare second chance. For a moment, it looked like redemption. But European nights exposed his limitations, pushing him back to the bench. Just when a January departure seemed imminent, flashes of brilliance—reminiscent of his days at Agrinio—snatched him back into the starting XI. He became vital again, or so it seemed.

From Flash to Flop

That resurgence was fleeting. From February onward, Lubisic turned into a liability. He offered nothing in the critical stretch, saw minimal playing time in the Super League playoffs, and failed to shift the momentum. The data is clear: the expectations set when this chapter began were not met. The club is now in sell mode, waiting for offers to close a cycle that started with promise and ended in disappointment. The contract exists, but the trust has evaporated.