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Mediterranean side Pafos FC prepare for their first-ever UEFA Champions League appearance this midweek – merely eleven seasons after the team’s founding.

In recent seasons, the club has created a stir by playing continental football for the first time last campaign, reaching the Conference League round of 16 and securing their inaugural league title.

In the current campaign, they have attained yet another huge feat by surviving three rounds of Champions League preliminaries to enter the league phase – joining only one other sides, alongside from Kazakhstan team Kairat Almaty, to make their debut.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Kyiv and Belgrade were all defeated by Pafos during the preliminary stages.

Their reward is eight games in the main round, with a fixture on their turf against Bayern Munich and an away trip to London club Chelsea, starting off with a fixture in Hellenic soil against Olympiakos this coming Wednesday.

"The whole team went wild," said veteran Brazilian and Blues centre-back Luiz, who joined the squad in the summer, about the point Pafos made it.

"The entire group was totally happy because we achieved something amazing. Not a soul anticipated us to reach the Champions League this season."

"I’m delighted to be here because I can see this atmosphere, with everyone’s desire, to do something special."

Founded in 2014: An Overview

Pafos were established in the year 2014 when a pair of teams from the region joined forces – Kouklia FC and AEP Paphos – who also had been created in a year 2000 union of another two clubs in the area.

They began in the lower league and bounced around that and the first division until the acquisition in 2017 by Roman Dubov, a entrepreneur from Russia with dual nationality who was once as Portsmouth FC owner in 2011.

"Our vision was straightforward – we aimed to build something innovative, something competitive, something sustainable – not just a football club but one that could return value to the public," he remarked not long ago.

"The island is a place with an immense affection for football and, in Pafos, we were confident that we had an chance to develop something from the foundation."

Success did not come instant success, nevertheless.

"Total Sport Investment have transformed the organization, 100%. It was a club that found it hard to stay in the first tier."

"In this region, the enthusiasm is over the top. So, if the club succeeds, everyone will visit the arena. If the squad doesn't go well, hardly any people will show up. You won’t find in the middle."

"They have done some mistakes, expenditure that didn't give them returns. They have been putting money in since 2017. There was some trial and error to come to this point."

Coaches from Britain Take a Turn

Scotland's Pressley, currently Dundee manager, had 19 games in control in six years ago.

From Wales Toshack had 21 games in 2019-20.

England's the experienced manager coached the side for a brief period in three years ago.

Several ex-Blackburn players took charge, as well – former Red Devils defender the Norwegian and once at Madrid star Michel Salgado, who was sporting director but also had two interim periods.

And as a player, former Premier League midfielder the Englishman was at Pafos from three seasons.

The Turnaround Begins With Former Arsenal Assistant

Things changed with the arrival of Spaniard Carcedo in June 2023. He had been Emery’s number two at multiple teams, including North London club.

He managed UD Ibiza and Zaragoza before moving to the island.

The manager’s first season in control ended with the team’s maiden honor – the last season’s Cyprus Cup, with a comprehensive win over AC Omonia, who were hosting the final for the match.

Next term Pafos passed three rounds of Europa Conference League preliminaries, placing twelfth in the league phase and then advancing in the play-off round before losing to Djurgårdens IF in the round of 16.

They ended the season as champions of Cyprus for the first occasion – securing the championship by seven points and creating a route to the Champions League.

Jaja 89th-minute strike in Pafos' fixture on their ground against the Serbian champions to equalize for one-all (three-two) secured their spot in the league phase.

"The president of Cyprus Christodoulides is a very big Pafos FC fan who visits the stadium."

"He watched the fixture. He watched it with tension. At the conclusion he was jubilant like a child. He was overjoyed. There was a viral video of him rejoicing like a kid."

"It’s equivalent to winning the league in Cyprus, it's that significant a achievement."

"It's like a achievement you put next to your club’s history – one championship, a domestic cup and one elite appearance. It's a major deal here."

'We Believe It’s Possible Make History'

This summer, Pafos completed the shock acquisition of defender the Brazilian, who at the age of 38 had been with {Fortaleza|Fort