Pafos FC will make their Champions League debut on Wednesday - just 11 years after their formation. The club have made waves in recent years, playing in Europe for the first time last season and reaching the Conference League last 16. This season, they have achieved another huge milestone by coming through three rounds of qualifying to feature in the Champions League group stage, alongside Kazakh outfit Kairat Almaty.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv, and Red Star Belgrade were all dispatched by Pafos through qualifying. Their reward is eight matches in the league phase, starting with a trip to Greece to face Olympiakos. David Luiz, a former Brazil and Chelsea defender who joined the club in August, expressed his excitement: Everybody was in ecstasy. Nobody expected us to be in the Champions League this season.
Pafos was formed in 2014 following the merger of two local clubs. The team has seen a remarkable transformation since the 2017 takeover by Russian businessman Roman Dubov, who aimed to build a competitive and sustainable entity that could contribute to the community. Under his leadership and that of former Arsenal assistant Juan Carlos Carcedo, the club secured its first league title last season.
This success has included a thrilling finale where Jaja's late goal against Red Star Belgrade enabled Pafos to clinch their Champions League place. Local fans and even the president of Cyprus celebrated the achievement, marking it as a significant moment in the club's history.
Former star David Luiz sees immense potential with Pafos, saying, I think we can do something special. It’s going to be a big opportunity for us to show our qualities to the world. As they prepare for their debut, Pafos not only aims to impress but to cement their place in European football history.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv, and Red Star Belgrade were all dispatched by Pafos through qualifying. Their reward is eight matches in the league phase, starting with a trip to Greece to face Olympiakos. David Luiz, a former Brazil and Chelsea defender who joined the club in August, expressed his excitement: Everybody was in ecstasy. Nobody expected us to be in the Champions League this season.
Pafos was formed in 2014 following the merger of two local clubs. The team has seen a remarkable transformation since the 2017 takeover by Russian businessman Roman Dubov, who aimed to build a competitive and sustainable entity that could contribute to the community. Under his leadership and that of former Arsenal assistant Juan Carlos Carcedo, the club secured its first league title last season.
This success has included a thrilling finale where Jaja's late goal against Red Star Belgrade enabled Pafos to clinch their Champions League place. Local fans and even the president of Cyprus celebrated the achievement, marking it as a significant moment in the club's history.
Former star David Luiz sees immense potential with Pafos, saying, I think we can do something special. It’s going to be a big opportunity for us to show our qualities to the world. As they prepare for their debut, Pafos not only aims to impress but to cement their place in European football history.
