PAFOS FC are dreaming bigger than ever – and after stunning Villarreal on a famous night at the Alphamega Stadium two weeks ago, who can blame them?

Tonight, the Limassol stadium hosts another well-known European outfit as AS Monaco arrive for a Champions League clash that could redefine the Cypriots’ campaign.

Pafos’ belief is no longer naïve hope. It is grounded in hard evidence. Matchday 4 delivered the club’s most extraordinary European moment to date: a 1–0 win over Villarreal, sealed when Derrick Luckassen thundered home a Ken Sema corner and sent the home crowd into delirium.

It was Pafos’ first-ever victory in the Champions League proper, and the first time a Cypriot side had beaten Spanish opposition at this stage.

Manager Juan Carlos Carcedo didn’t hide his emotion that night. “That moment was extraordinary,” he said afterwards. “We waited, we defended, we trusted ourselves – and football rewarded us.”
The Spaniard, who has guided Pafos from domestic hopefuls to continental disruptors, has been clear that the club’s rise is no accident.

“Two years ago, this project had foundations but no walls. Now we have structure, identity, and ambition. We’re not here just to participate.”
The standings tell the same story. Pafos sit 20th in the league-phase table, level on points with PSV Eindhoven and, crucially, their opponents tonight. Beat Monaco, and Pafos will not only vault into the qualification picture — they will announce themselves as genuine contenders for a top-eight spot, a target club president Roman Dubov has openly championed.

Carcedo insists the belief in the dressing room is real. “The Villarreal win wasn’t luck,” he said at the pre-match press conference. “It came from discipline, intensity, and courage. Monaco will attack with speed and quality, but we know what we can do at home. We’ve shown it.”

Among the players, confidence is no quieter. Sema, whose delivery unlocked Villarreal, says the group feels ready to push boundaries. “We felt the energy here last time – it was incredible. We showed Europe what Pafos is about. Monaco is a different challenge, but we go in with the same hunger.”

Match-winner Luckassen echoed the mood. “Scoring that header was a dream for me, but we moved on quickly. Monaco are strong, but so are we. If we stick to our plan, we can do something special again.”

Monaco arrive with pedigree but under pressure. Their inconsistent league-phase form leaves them vulnerable, and Pafos’ high-tempo, fearless approach has already unsettled more established sides. Carcedo knows that momentum counts – and right now, Pafos have it.
And the stakes? Immense. A win would place Pafos on the cusp of the knockout conversation – a scenario that would have seemed ludicrous when the draw was made but now feels entirely possible.

The road ahead remains demanding though: a trip to Juventus on December 10, then a daunting visit to Chelsea on January 21, before closing the group at home against Slavia Prague on January 28. But with Monaco up first, Pafos have the chance to turn a magical night into a movement.

“We didn’t come this far to stop now. We’re writing a new chapter,” Carcedo said. “Monaco is the next page – and we want it to be unforgettable.”

From the Monaco camp meanwhile came a quiet warning. Coach Sebastien Pocognoli insisted his side are arriving in Cyprus with purpose, not panic.
“We can’t talk about urgency after only a few matches, but to accelerate our progress we must take points,” he said, stressing the intensity he wants his team to impose.
“We’re building a system where individual quality shines through the collective, through duels and hard work. The physical effort we’ve put in is starting to show.”