Olympiacos vs Pafos: A Champions League Opener with High Stakes
- Costa
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
After five years of absence, the red and white lights of the Karaiskakis will shine on a Champions League night. Olympiacos welcome Cypriot champions Pafos in the opening fixture of the league phase—a game that feels like a must-win given the heavyweights looming later in the schedule (Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSV, Ajax).
This isn’t just another group stage curtain-raiser. For Pafos, it’s their maiden voyage at this level. For Olympiacos, it’s the return to the stage where they belong.
Who are Pafos?
A decade ago, Pafos barely registered on the Cypriot football map. A series of mergers and financial struggles eventually gave way to the 2017 takeover by Roman Dubov’s Total Sports agency. Backed by serious investment and a modern vision, the club transformed from a “meme team” signing washed-up names to a structured project built on analytics, infrastructure, and ambition.
Infrastructure: State-of-the-art training ground, academy investment, and multi-club links.
Recent success: Cypriot Cup winners in 2023/2024, first league title in 2024/25, Conference League knockouts last year.
Qualification run: Eliminated Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dynamo Kiev, and Red Star Belgrade to earn their Champions League ticket. That’s no fluke.
Style of Play
Under Juan Carlos Carcedo—Unai Emery’s long-time assistant—Pafos play a possession-based 4-2-3-1.
Build-up: Patient, ball-to-feet, playing out from the back even under pressure.
Midfield: The double pivot of Pepe (yes, the same ex-Olympiacos signing) and Sunjic provides a mix of technique and steel. Pepe dictates tempo; Sunjic protects.
Wings: Correa on the right is the clutch player—fast, direct, capable of match-winners. On the left, rotation between Ken Sema and Orsic.
Striker: Anderson Silva—a burly Brazilian target man—offers hold-up play and presence in the box.
Defence: Former Olympiacos man Bruno has reinvented himself as a right-back. Effective going forward, but defensively fragile.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
Mentality: Pafos believe they belong here. They’ve made a habit of late winners and clutch goals.
Confidence: Having eliminated three seasoned European clubs, they won’t be intimidated.
Set-pieces: Centre-backs Luckassen and Goldar are threats from corners.
Weaknesses
Defensive discipline: prone to lapses, especially fullbacks caught high.
Physicality: Apollon showed at the weekend that Pafos don’t like being roughed up.
Fatigue: After an early start in July, some players may already be running on fumes.
Danger Men to Watch
Pepe: Flopped at Olympiacos, but last year’s Cypriot league MVP. A silky passer, though lightweight under pressure.
Correa: The X-factor. Scores important goals, thrives in big moments.
Jaja: Impact sub with trickery and pace, capable of a solo moment of brilliance.
David Luiz: At 39, still a name. Recently signed, his experience alone could steady them.
Olympiacos Angle
For Mendilibar’s Olympiacos, the mission is clear: three points or bust. Anything less risks entering a brutal run—Arsenal away, Barcelona at home, Real Madrid, PSV, Ajax—with no momentum.
Key talking points:
Lineup: El Kaabi is expected to lead the line. Rodinei could return at right-back, Ortega on the left. Pirola likely partners Retsos in defence. Midfield is the question mark: Garcia, Hezze, Scipioni, and Mouzakitis all in contention.
Podence factor: Back for a third spell, already scoring and assisting on his weekend cameo. A start may come too soon, but his duel against Bruno could be decisive.
New faces: Gabi Strefezza looks set to start on the right after Gelson Martins’ injury. The Italian-Brazilian winger impressed against Panserraikos.
What to Expect
Pafos won’t come to park the bus. They’ll try to impose their possession game, but that may play into Olympiacos’ hands—pressing high and punishing errors. The early exchanges will be vital: an early Olympiacos goal could open the floodgates, but if Pafos settle, nerves could creep in.
Prediction
Karaiskakis will be rocking after five years without Champions League nights. Pafos are dangerous, but Olympiacos’ quality and experience should tell. Expect goals, expect nerves, and expect the unexpected—because nothing ever comes easy against Cypriot sides.
Prediction: Olympiacos 3–1 Pafos. Goals: El Kaabi, Podence, Taremi off the bench.
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