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Cypriot club Pafos FC prepare for their historic European elite appearance this midweek – just a decade plus following the club’s formation.

Over the past few years, the organization has generated buzz by competing in Europe for the first time last term, reaching the Conference League knockout phase and winning their maiden domestic championship.

Now, they have attained yet another major accomplishment by navigating three rounds of elite European preliminaries to reach the league phase – one of only two sides, together with Kazakh club Kairat Almaty, to enter the competition newly.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv and Belgrade were all overcome by Pafos during the entry stages.

Their reward is eight matches in the league phase, with a home game against Munich and an journey to Chelsea, starting off with a match in Hellenic soil against Piraeus-based club this midweek.

"Everyone celebrated wildly," said veteran Brazil and Chelsea centre-back the experienced star, who arrived at the team in the summer, regarding the moment Pafos secured entry.

"The entire group was totally happy because we achieved something incredible. Not a soul predicted us to reach the top tournament this season."

"I’m delighted to be here because I can witness this emotion, with the squad’s ambition, to accomplish something great."

Formed in 2014: A Brief History

Pafos were formed in eleven years back when two entities from the district joined forces – Kouklia FC and AEP Paphos – who themselves had been created in a year 2000 union of two other teams in the district.

They began in the second division and bounced around that and the top flight until the 2017 purchase by Roman Dubov, a investor with British citizenship who had a spell as Portsmouth FC owner in 2011.

"The aim was evident – we set out to establish something fresh, something competitive, something viable – not just a soccer side but one that could contribute to the public," he remarked recently.

"The island is a nation with such a affection for football and, in Pafos, we felt that we had an chance to grow something from the foundation."

There was no overnight achievement, nevertheless.

"Owners have transformed the club, without a doubt. It was a team that had difficulty to stay in the elite league."

"In this region, the passion is intense. So, if the side performs, everyone will visit the stadium. If the club fails, hardly any people will show up. There is nothing in the between."

"There were some wrongs, spending that didn't give them returns. They have been investing since that year. They went through learning from mistakes to arrive at this stage."

Coaches from Britain Take a Turn

Scottish the former defender, now Dark Blues manager, had a short stint in control in 2018.

Welshman the coach managed a brief spell in 2019-20.

English the experienced manager took the team for 18 games in three years ago.

Two ex-Blackburn players tried, also – ex- Manchester United defender Berg and former Real Madrid star Salgado, who was technical director but also had two caretaker spells.

And as a player, ex-Premier League star Jason Puncheon was at Pafos from 2019 to 2022.

The Turnaround Begins During Tenure of Former Arsenal Assistant

Fortunes shifted with the appointment of Spaniard Carcedo in summer of 2023. He had been the Aston Villa boss’ right-hand man at multiple clubs, including North London club.

He led Ibiza and Zaragoza before switching to the island.

The manager’s first season in charge ended with the team’s inaugural silverware – the last season’s Cypriot Cup, with a convincing win over Omonia, who were hosting the final for the game.

Next term Pafos came through three rounds of UECL entry, placing in the top half in the main round and then winning in the play-offs before being eliminated by the Swedish side in the knockout stage.

They finished the term as champions of Cyprus for the maiden time – securing the league by seven points and opening up a route to the Champions League.

Jaja's stoppage-time strike in Pafos' fixture on their ground against Crvena Zvezda to level it at one-all (three-two) sealed their spot in the main competition.

"Cyprus’ leader of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides is a huge Pafos FC fan who attends the stadium."

"He attended the fixture. He followed it with anxiety. At the end he was ecstatic like a little kid. He was uncontained. There was a online footage of him celebrating like a kid."

"It's like winning the league in Cyprus, it's such a huge a deal."

"It is a milestone you mark next to your legacy – a league title, one trophy and one league phase presence. It's a major deal here."

'In My View It’s Possible Achieve Greatness'

In the recent transfer window, Pafos completed the unexpected capture of defender David Luiz, who at the age of 38 had been with {Fortaleza|Fort