Cypriot football clubs Omonia and Pafos FC are to face each other in the knockout phase playoffs of the Uefa Europa Conference League as a result of Friday’s draw.
The tie will mark the first time two Cypriot sides have played against each other in the knockout phase of any European competition.
Pafos FC finished in 12th place out of the 36 teams which entered the competition’s league phase, and as such were seeded for the playoff round, while Omonia finished in 22nd place, and were not.
Omonia will therefore host Pafos FC on February 13 at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia, with the return fixture set to take place at Limassol’s Alphamega Stadium – Pafos FC’s home for European fixtures – on February 20.
The winner of the tie will qualify for the round of 16, where they will face one of Swiss side Lugano or Swedish outfit Djurgardens.
Cyprus’ third side in the Europa Conference League, Apoel, were drawn to play against Slovenian champions NK Celje, travelling to Slovenia on February 13 before playing the home leg a week later on February 20.
Apoel were the highest-ranking Cypriot side in the league phase, finishing in 11th place. By a quirk of the draw, if they come off best against NK Celje, they will play whichever of Lugano and Djurgardens does not get drawn to play the winner of the all-Cypriot tie.
Lugano and Djurgardens both finished in the top eight in the league phase, and thus have both automatically qualified for the round of 16.
The winner of the league phase was English giants and two-time Champions League winners Chelsea, who won all six of their games, scoring 26 goals in the process.
They will play one of Belgian side Gent, Spanish outfit Real Betis, Danish champions Copenhagen, or German side FC Heidenheim in the round of 16 in March.
Cyprus Football Association chairman Giorgos Koumas on Friday stressed the “importance of the success” of having three Cypriot teams qualify for the knockout phases of European competition.
“Football makes sure to remind us at regular intervals that it remains our country’s best ambassador abroad. I congratulate Apoel, Pafos FC, and Omonia, and wish them good luck in the next phase,” he said.
Should any of the three Cypriot teams remaining in the competition reach the final, they will play it on May 28 next year at the Wroclaw Stadium in the Polish city of Wroclaw.
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