Pafos FC chairman Roman Dubov on Thursday promised that his team will “come back stronger” after they were eliminated from the Champions League on goal difference on Wednesday night.

“Our Champions League journey has come to an end. We leave with nine points, finishing ahead of Ajax, Napoli, and other world class teams, missing out on qualification for the next round only on goal difference – a result which proves how far we have come together,” he wrote in a post on social media.

He added that his team “represented both Paphos and Cyprus with pride”, and that the highlights of Pafos FC’s first foray into Europe’s premier footballing competition “are moments which will forever be etched into our hearts”.

“Yet, there is pain, because deep down, we all feel the same, that this team could have gone even further. What we showed on the pitch proved that we belong at this level, and that is why this disappointment hurts,” he said.

To this end, he said that “ambition is part of our DNA” and that “our standards are high because our dreams are big”.

“This is not the end; it is the foundation. We will learn, grow, and come back stronger, hungrier, and more united,” he said.

He also thanked the club’s fans for their support throughout the campaign, saying, “you are not just fans, you are family”, and that “your voices, your passion, and your love for our crest give meaning to everything we do”.

“Stand by this team. Believe with us. We are moving forward together,” he said.

He added that the money the club has earnt from its Champions League adventure “will be fully reinvested into strengthening every aspect of the club … with the aim of bringing Pafos FC even closer to world class standards”.

“We are not saying goodbye to European competitions, we are saying ‘see you again, very soon’,” he said, before wishing the best of luck to Omonia and Aek Larnaca, whose European adventures will continue in the Europa Conference League later in the season.

Pafos FC finished their Champions League campaign by drubbing Czech champions Slavia Prague 4-1 at Limassol’s Alphamega Stadium, and were within two goals of qualifying for the competition’s knockout playoff round.

Their nine points amassed from eight games in the league phase was equal to that of Portuguese giants Benfica and Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt, who both qualified for the knockout phase. However, both teams finished with a superior goal difference than that of the Cypriot side.

Bodo/Glimt qualified with a surprise victory away at Atletico Madrid, while Benfica went one better, securing their path to the next phase thanks to a 4-2 victory over 15-time European champions Real Madrid, with the all-important fourth goal being scored in the 98th minute by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.

Trubin’s goal snatched the final place in the next round off Marseille, who had been clinging on despite suffering a dismal 3-0 defeat away at Club Brugge. Pafos FC finished one place below Marseille, level on goal difference with the French outfit but having scored fewer goals.