“The Amazing One”: Fighter Koulierakis is ready to go – for opponent Frankfurt

First session: Wolfsburg’s new signing Konstantinos Koulierakis trained with his new team for the first time on Thursday.
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There was already a Greek footballer in Wolfsburg once. Sotirios Kyrgiakos was the defender that Felix Magath brought to VfL Lotten in 2011. Up until 2013, the rustic defender, who had been loaned to Sunderland in the meantime, had only played nine games for the Lower Saxony team, and the demonstratively silent and grumbling Greek spoke even less. “I know him,” says his successor with a smile. Konstantinos Koulierakis completed his first training session with his new team on Thursday and then introduced himself. Friendly, openly giving information – and therefore very different to his compatriot back then.

13 years after Kyrgiakos: Wolfsburg’s new Greek

Kyrgiakos has not left a deep mark in Wolfsburg in terms of sport, but expectations of Koulierakis are undoubtedly different. Although the 11.75 million euro purchase stresses: “I don’t put any pressure on myself.” He would rather put pressure on the pitch. The extremely muscular legs of this 20-year-old, who already seems extremely mature, are striking, having had to stand on his own two feet at an early age in his home country. The central defender has already made eight international appearances for Greece, and this year he won the Greek championship for the first time with PAOK Saloniki, the club he trained as.

“Now I wanted to take the next step,” says Koulierakis. Out of Greece, reins in one of the top 5 leagues in Europe. There were plenty of interested parties, and the German courting of the highly talented defender has now become more public. For a long time it was thought that he would go to Frankfurt, but VfL sports director Sebastian Schindzielorz secretly and quietly completed the transfer. He flew to Thessaloniki, where Koulierakis finally completed his medical check – and signed with VfL.

Wolfsburg’s new number 4: Konstantinos Koulierakis took over the shirt number of his predecessor Maxence Lacroix.
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Why Wolfsburg instead of Frankfurt? The new signing won’t go into detail about it. He confirms Eintracht’s interest, but above all emphasises how happy he is with his choice of Wolfsburg: “VfL tried hard to get me, I didn’t have to think about it for long. It was easy for me.”

Also because his teammate Vieirinha, something of a club legend thanks to his DFB Cup victory in 2015 and as VfL’s savior in the relegation round in 2017, only told him positive things about Wolfsburg. “The club, the family atmosphere, the top infrastructure,” reported Koulierakis. “Wolfsburg is a big club in Germany.”

I am ready to fight for my team.

Wolfsburg’s new signing Konstantinos Koulierakis

And a club that wants to capitalize on its first win of the season, recently at Holstein Kiel (2-0), with a home win after the international break. And against Frankfurt! Of all teams? Koulierakis is keeping quiet. “It’s nothing special for me because I’m here now. I’m ready to fight for my team.” After only two training sessions up until Saturday, however, it can be assumed that the new signing will have to sit on the bench for the time being.

But Koulierakis will soon be demonstrating his qualities on the Bundesliga stage. He says he used to be an attacking player, a number ten or winger, but gradually he moved to the back – without losing any of his attacking qualities. The Greek is a goal threat and has a powerful shot. He has scored nine goals in 73 PAOK matches.

Goal or tackle? “I prefer both”

His nickname: “Hammer”. His right foot, he says with a laugh, is good, but his left is unbelievable. The defender, winking, says: “The amazing one”. What does he prefer? A goal or a good tackle? “I prefer both, but if I have to choose, I’d rather have a good tackle and secure a 1-0 win.” And who knows, maybe he’ll manage that on Saturday (3:30 p.m., LIVE! on kicker) against Frankfurt. His almost-club.