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Cypriot club Pafos FC will mark their maiden UEFA Champions League debut this Wednesday – just eleven seasons since the club’s formation.

Lately, the squad has created a stir by playing continental football for the first time last term, reaching the Conference League knockout phase and securing their maiden top-flight trophy.

In the current campaign, they have achieved yet a further huge feat by coming through three stages of elite European preliminaries to enter the league phase – one of only two sides, together with from Kazakhstan club Kairat Almaty, to make their debut.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv and Belgrade were all defeated by Pafos during the qualifying rounds.

Their reward is eight matches in the league phase, featuring a match at home against German champions Bayern and an away trip to Stamford Bridge, but they begin with a match in Greece against Greek side Olympiakos this Wednesday.

"Everybody was in ecstasy," said former Brazil and Chelsea player David Luiz, who arrived at the squad in August, about the point Pafos qualified.

"The entire group was overjoyed because we accomplished something remarkable. No one predicted us to reach the UCL this campaign."

"I'm very happy to be here because I can see this atmosphere, with everybody's hunger, to do something significant."

Founded in 2014: A Brief History

Pafos were established in eleven years back when two entities from the region merged – Kouklia FC and AEP – who themselves had been set up in a merger in 2000 of additional clubs in the region.

They began in the second division and bounced around that and the top flight until the acquisition in 2017 by Roman Dubov, a Russian businessman with UK passport who was once as Portsmouth FC proprietor in 2011.

"Our vision was straightforward – we set out to create something fresh, something strong, something viable – not just a sports team but one that could return value to the public," he stated recently.

"The nation is a country with a profound affection for soccer and, in Pafos, we were confident that we had an opportunity to develop something from the very beginning."

It wasn’t immediate triumph, though.

"Total Sport Investment have revolutionized the organization, without a doubt. It was a team that struggled to survive in the top division."

"In Mediterranean countries, the passion is over the top. So, if the side succeeds, everybody will go to the arena. If the club underperforms, hardly any fans will come. You won’t find in the middle."

"They have done some errors, expenditure that didn't give them anything. They have been putting money in since 2017. It involved experimentation to arrive at this stage."

Coaches from Britain Take a Turn

Scottish Steven Pressley, currently Dark Blues gaffer, had a short stint in control in 2018.

Welshman Cameron Toshack had a brief spell in that campaign.

England's Stephen Constantine coached the team for 18 games in 2021.

Several ex-Rovers stars took charge, as well – former Manchester United man Berg and once at Madrid defender Salgado, who was sporting director but also had brief stints as temporary boss.

During his playing days, former Premier League star Jason Puncheon was at Pafos from 2019 until 2022.

Success Starts During Tenure of Former Arsenal Assistant

Things changed with the arrival of Spaniard the coach in last year. He had been Unai Emery's assistant manager at several sides, such as North London club.

He coached the Spanish side and Zaragoza before switching to Cyprus.

His first season in control ended with the club's first-ever honor – the last season’s domestic cup, with a comprehensive win over Nicosia-based Omonia, who were hosting the final for the final.

The following campaign Pafos passed multiple qualifiers of Conference League entry, ending up in the top half in the league phase and then securing victory in the play-offs before being eliminated by the Swedish side in the knockout stage.

They ended the term as Cypriot title winners for the first occasion – winning the title by a comfortable gap and opening up a path to the UCL.

Jaja's stoppage-time goal in Pafos' fixture on their ground against the Serbian champions to equalize for 1-1 (three-two) secured their spot in the league phase.

"The head of state of Cyprus Christodoulides is a massive Pafos FC supporter who goes to the arena."

"He was at the match. He saw it with nerves. At the final whistle he was celebrating like a youngster. He was overjoyed. There was a viral video of him rejoicing like a kid."

"It feels like winning the title in Cyprus, it's such a huge a achievement."

"You can compare it to a milestone you place next to your name – a league title, one cup and one league phase presence. It's a very big deal here."

'We Believe It’s Possible Achieve Greatness'

This summer, Pafos secured the shock acquisition of centre-back David Luiz, who at the 38 years old had been with {Fortaleza|Fort