Arsenal
Arsenal

Former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, who now plays for Bundesliga side VFB Stuttgart, recently broke a strange record. The centre-back scored an own goal from a record 48 metres away during the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) match between Stuttgart and Paderborn. It was a bizarre sight for his teammates, as the goal helped the home side take the lead right in the third minute of the game.

Mavropanos was recruited by Arsenal in the winter of 2018 from Greek side PAS Giannina for a mere €2m. He was then sent on loan to Nuremberg until the end of the 2019/20 season. The following season, he then joined Stuttgart on loan. After spending two years on loan at the German club, he impressed them enough to make his move permanent last summer for €3.2m.

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Ex Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos scored a record own goal from 48 metres away during Stuttgart’s German Cup game. Credits: Twitter

Former Arsenal defender claims unwanted record

While own goals are generally a no big matter, the ex Arsenal star’s shot was one for the records. Mavropanos didn’t score a normal own goal where the defender unintentionally get in the path of a cross and turns it into his own net, or a mistimed deflection directs the ball in the back of the net. The Greece international stunned with an own goal from a whopping 48 metres away.

The defender caught the ball close to the touchline and tried passing it back to Florian Muller, the Stuttgart goalkeeper. However, the ball bizarrely wound up in Stuttgart’s goal as Mavropanos disastrously miscalculated the position of his shot-stopper. Muller couldn’t do anything but watch the ball race into the back of the net. It was an unusual start for the visitors after just three minutes of play.

Nonetheless, Stuttgart did stage a dramatic late comeback, much to the relief of the former Arsenal recruit. Gil Dias found the equalizer for the visitors in the 86th minute, and Serhou Guirassy scored in the last minute of the injury time to help Stuttgart advance to the Pokal Cup’s quarterfinals. Speaking to Sky TV after the game, Stuttgart’s sporting director, Fabian Wohlgemuth, joked:

“It was a memorable start with the own goal. A real setback. Konstantinos will be telling his grandchildren about it.”

Mavropanos has been a crucial part of Stuttgart team ever since plying his trade for them on loan from Arsenal. He helped them finish ninth in the Bundesliga in his debut season, and then fought tooth and nail to avoid a relegation play-offs with the club merely on goal difference in the following season. Mavropanos has since made 76 appearances for the German side.

However, Stuttgart are once again embroiled in a relegation fight this season, as they sit 16th in the table and could face a relegation play-offs. Just three points separate Stuttgart and safety with Vfl Bochum occupying the 17th spot in the table. The former Arsenal defender has featured in 16 of his side’s 19 league games this season and would once again want to help avoid the drop.