Cypriot champions Pafos FC have departed for Kazakhstan to face Kairat Almaty in their third Champions League match of the season.

Kairat Almaty are also debutants in Europe’s premier football competition, and currently sit bottom of the league phase’s 36-team table, having suffered two chastening defeats in their two fixtures so far.

They were dealt a 4-1 drubbing by Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon on the competition’s opening night at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, before finding themselves on the end of a 5-0 shellacking at the hands of Real Madrid during the second round of fixtures.

Their domestic form is faring better, however, as they lead the Kazakh league by two points. With Kazakhstan’s domestic season being played through the summer, their final league game of the season will come this Sunday – a title decider against Astana, who sit in second place.

Pafos FC have fared somewhat better in the Champions League so far this season, battling to a goalless draw away at Greece’s Olympiacos on opening night, though they, too, were given a pasting by one of Europe’s footballing elite on matchday two, being beaten 5-1 by Bayern Munich at Limassol’s Alphamega Stadium.

They also sit top of the Cypriot domestic league, having dispatched Ethnikos Achna 4-0 at the Stelios Kyriakides Stadium on Friday night.
Speaking ahead of the game, Pafos FC’s press officer Christoforos Mattheou said the team’s “goal is always to win, no matter how strange it may sound in this competition.

“It is one of the games we have to chase, to get points, and that is why we are going for it … The team will have the support of its fans. Let’s not rush ahead … our opponent also deserves to be here. Woe betide us if the rookie Pafos FC underestimates anyone,” he said.

Kairat Almaty have been drawn to play Cypriot opposition once before in Europe, being drawn in the same group as Omonia during the 2021/22 Conference League. On that occasion, the two sides shared two 0-0 draws.


Pafos FC, meanwhile, have played Kazakh opposition once before, beating Astana 1-0 in last season’s Conference League league phase.


After their fixture in Kazakhstan, they will return to Cyprus to play Omonia on Monday night, before having a chance at silverware with a Cypriot Super Cup match-up with Aek Larnaca on October 30.
Their next European tie will come at home against Villarreal on November 5, before they face Monaco at home on November 26. They will then travel to Turin to face Juventus on December 10 and to London to face Chelsea on January 21, before concluding their Champions League adventure at home against Slavia Prague on January 28.


Kairat Almaty also have a trip to Italy to look forward to, facing Inter on November 5, before travelling to Copenhagen on November 26, and then hosting Olympiacos on December 9.
After the winter break, they will play Club Brugge at home on January 20, before wrapping up their season away at Arsenal on January 28.