Wikipedia

Petri Pasanen

Petri Pasanen (born 24 September 1980) is a Finnish football coach, TV studio presenter and a former professional footballer who played as a defender. He was most comfortable as centre-back, but also played right-back and left-back as well. Pasanen began his senior career in his native Finland before moving to Ajax. He spent most of his career at Bundesliga club Werder Bremen which he represented in the UEFA Champions League in multiple seasons, and in the 2009 UEFA Cup Final. At international level, he made 76 appearances for the Finland national team scoring one goal.

Petri Pasanen
Pasanen with Red Bull Salzburg in 2011
Personal information
Full name Petri Mikael Pasanen
Date of birth (1980-09-24) 24 September 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Lahti, Finland
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996 Kuusysi 2 (0)
1996–2000 Lahti 72 (2)
1997 → Hämeenlinna (loan) 4 (0)
1998 → Hämeenlinna (loan) 1 (0)
2000–2004 Ajax 59 (7)
2004 → Portsmouth (loan) 12 (0)
2004–2011 Werder Bremen 144 (3)
2011–2012 Red Bull Salzburg 18 (0)
2012–2014 AGF 44 (2)
2014–2015 Lahti 30 (1)
Total 386 (15)
International career
2000 Finland U21 6 (0)
2000–2013 Finland 76 (1)
Managerial career
Lahti (youth)
2022–2023 Lahti (assistant)
Medal record
Finland national football team
Runner-up Baltic Cup 2012
AFC Ajax
Winner Eredivisie 2002
Winner KNVB Cup 2002
Winner Johan Cruijff Shield 2002
Runner-up Eredivisie 2003
Werder Bremen
Runner-up Bundesliga 2006
Runner-up Bundesliga 2008
Runner-up UEFA Europa League 2009
Winner DFB-Pokal 2009
Runner-up DFB-Pokal 2010
FC Red Bull Salzburg
Winner Austrian Bundesliga 2012
Winner Austrian Cup 2012
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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FC Lahti

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Born in Lahti, Finland, Pasanen became a regular for local club FC Lahti during the club's promotion season in 1998. During the next two seasons he made 42 appearances for the club in Finland's Veikkausliiga.

Ajax

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Many of Europe's top clubs had become interested in the promising Pasanen, and in the summer of 2000 he joined Dutch club Ajax. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but is believed to be around 6 million Finnish markka, which corresponds roughly to €1 million.[1][2] He became a regular in the Ajax defense in his first season, but his progress was halted when he broke his foot in August 2001, and had to miss most of the 2001–02 season. Next season he was a regular again as Ajax reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

He fell out of favour at Ajax in 2003–04, and spent the second half of the season on loan at English club Portsmouth in the Premier League. Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp was interested in purchasing Pasanen at the end of the season, but claimed Ajax's asking price was too high.

Werder Bremen

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Pasanen was then signed by reigning German champions Werder Bremen in the summer of 2004. He became a key player for the club, helping them to a top three finish in the Bundesliga and the second round of the Champions League in each of his first two seasons at the club. Whilst at Bremen he played in the 2009 UEFA Cup Final.

 
Pasanen with Werder Bremen in 2009

Red Bull Salzburg

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On 30 June 2011, after the end of his contract, he left Werder Bremen,[3] and signed for Red Bull Salzburg. On 12 May 2012, Salzburg announced that they would not renew Pasanen's contract and he would be free to look for a new club during the summer.[4]

AGF Aarhus

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On 28 July 2012, Pasanen signed a two-year contract with Danish topflight side AGF. He scored his first goal for AGF on 10 December 2012, in a 3−3 home draw against Silkeborg.

Return to Lahti

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In May 2014, FC Lahti announced that Pasanen would return to Lahti and that he had signed a contract until the end of the 2016 season.[5] On 29 September 2015, Pasanen announced that he would retire from professional football at the end of the season.[6]

International career

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Pasanen was also a regular for the Finland national team. He made his international debut on 15 November 2000 against the Republic of Ireland. Pasanen has mostly played at right back for Finland, and has also served as the national team's captain, when Sami Hyypiä and Jari Litmanen have not played. He scored his only goal on 22 May 2002 in a home friendly at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium against Latvia, which Finland won 2–1.[7]

Pasanen has also played in Finland national futsal team, where he has six caps and two goals.

Coaching career

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After his playing career, Pasanen has worked as a youth coach for FC Lahti, and as an assistant coach of the club's first team during 2022–2023.[8]

Later career

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After his professional career, Pasanen has worked as a football pundit for Yle in 2014–2018, and for MTV Oy in 2018–2020. Since 2020, Pasanen has worked for MTV and C More Finland as a football studio host in UEFA Champions League matches and international tournaments.[9][10][11] In May 2023, Pasanen worked as a studio host in 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship tournament.[12]

Personal life

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His son Samuel Pasanen is also a professional footballer, playing for FC Lahti in Veikkausliiga.[13]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[14][15]
Club Season League National cups Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kuusysi 1996 Ykkönen 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Lahti 1997 Ykkönen 15 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
1998 Ykkönen 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
1999 Veikkausliiga 27 0 0 0 0 0 27 0
2000 Veikkausliiga 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
Total 72 2 0 0 0 0 72 2
FC Hämeenlinna (loan) 1997 Ykkönen 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
1998 Ykkönen 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Ajax 2000–01 Eredivisie 29 4 0 0 0 0 29 4
2001–02 Eredivisie 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2002–03 Eredivisie 22 3 0 0 0 0 22 3
2003–04 Eredivisie 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Total 59 7 0 0 0 0 59 7
Portsmouth (loan) 2003–04 Premier League 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
Werder Bremen 2004–05 Bundesliga 23 1 0 0 0 0 23 1
2005–06 Bundesliga 17 0 0 0 5 0 23 0
2006–07 Bundesliga 17 0 0 0 2 0 19 0
2007–08 Bundesliga 28 2 0 0 8 0 36 2
2008–09 Bundesliga 16 0 0 0 5 0 21 0
2009–10 Bundesliga 19 0 4 1 10 0 33 1
2010–11 Bundesliga 24 0 1 0 7 0 32 0
Total 144 3 5 1 37 0 186 4
Red Bull Salzburg 2011–12 Austrian Bundesliga 18 0 3 0 11 0 32 0
Aarhus 2012–13 Superliga 23 1 1 0 0 0 24 1
2013–14 Superliga 21 1 0 0 0 0 21 1
Total 44 2 1 0 0 0 45 2
Lahti 2014 Veikkausliiga 11 1 1 0 0 0 12 1
2015 Veikkausliiga 19 0 5 0 2 0 26 0
Total 30 1 6 0 2 0 38 1
Career total 386 15 15 1 50 0 451 16

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[16]
National team Year Apps Goals
Finland 2000 1 0
2001 5 0
2002 5 1
2003 6 0
2004 8 0
2005 3 0
2006 7 0
2007 10 0
2008 3 0
2009 9 0
2010 5 0
2011 5 0
2012 3 0
2013 6 0
Total 76 1
Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Pasanen goal.
International goal scored by Petri Pasanen
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 22 May 2002 Helsingin olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland   Latvia 2–1 2–1 Friendly

Honours

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Ajax[14]

Werder Bremen[14]

Red Bull Salzburg[14]

Individual

  • 2008: Finnish Sports Journalists footballer of the year[17]

References

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  1. ^ Ajax ei halua paljastaa Pasasen siirtosummaa, Helsingin Sanomat, 9 August 2000
  2. ^ Pasasen siirtosumma pysyy salassa, MTV Oy/ mtvuutiset.fi, 8 August 2000
  3. ^ "Pasanen verlässt Werder Bremen" (in German). sueddeutsche.de. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Maajoukkuepakki sai seurastaan lähtöpassit" [Finnish international not given a contract renewal] (in Finnish). 12 May 2012. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  5. ^ "Petri Pasanen palaa FC Lahden paitaan" (in Finnish). FC Lahti. 24 May 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Petri Pasanen lopettaa uransa kauden jälkeen" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Finns hold their nerve". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 22 May 2002. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Petri Pasanen FC Lahden valmennustiimiin - "Paljon annettavaa yksilöille"". veikkausliiga.com (in Finnish). 19 November 2021. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Miten umpiujosta pojasta tuli futistähti ja sädehtivä tv-persoona? Petri Pasanen heittäytyi täysin elämälle: "Virheitä ei pidä laskea"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 21 September 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Petri Pasanen uudelle pelipaikalle – siirtyy C Moren jalkapallostudion juontajaksi". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). 26 August 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  11. ^ Virtanen, Ari (10 December 2022). "Suomen televisioon tuli intohimoinen muutos – "Katsoja syö silmillään esiintyjiä"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  12. ^ Silvennoinen, Santtu (21 May 2023). "Maikkarin studioisäntä teki jyrkän muutoksen: "Minussa on aina ollut pieni kapinallinen"". Iltalehti (in Finnish). Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  13. ^ Hirvonen, Juho (25 November 2022). "Jotain tuttua! Toisen polven suomalaislupaus Ajaxin testattavana". Suomifutis (in Finnish). Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d "P. Pasanen". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Petri Pasanen". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Pasanen Petri" (in Finnish). palloliitto.fi. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  17. ^ "Petri Pasanen palaa FC Lahteen" (in Finnish). Palloliitto. 27 May 2014. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
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