Cypriot champions AEL get their Europa League group stage campaign under on Thursday night against Bundesliga side Borussia Moechengladbach at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia.
Pambos Christodoulou’s side are only the second Cypriot club to represent the island in Europe’s second-tier European competition following the exploits of AEK Larnaca last season.
The Larnaca club had surprised many to reach the group stage after eliminating Mlada Polslav and Rosenborg in qualifying but couldn’t avoid a bottom place finish despite notable draws against Schalke and Steaua Bucharest as well as a 2-1 victory over Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
The other teams to feature in AEL’s group include French club Marseille and Fenerbahce of Turkey.
“AEL has shown that they do not fear the big names of opponents or big stadiums”, said Christodoulou during Wednesday’s night press conference. “This is the first of many difficult European games and we want to win it. It is vital to seize the opportunity when playing at home.”
Speaking about what it means to the club to be playing for the first time in a major European competition, Christodoulou said, “The feeling when you play and especially when you win in Europe is a very different feeling to playing or winning in a Cypriot championship game. This is a fantastic experience for all us being here but we are not just here to make up the numbers. We want to do well and why not even qualify from our group.”
AEL had secured their place in the Europa League group stage after eliminating Partizan Belgrade in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.
The Cypriot club were ten minutes away from sealing their place in the Champions League group stage but conceded two goals to exit the playoffs at the hands of Anderlecht 2-3 on aggregate.
While AEL will be taking on German opposition for the first time, Moenchengladbach did face EPA Larnaca – who would later merge with Pezoporikos Larnaca to form AEK Larnaca – winning 16-0 on aggregate in a 1970-71 European Cup encounter.
EPA’s home leg was played at the Rosenaustadion in Augsburg and ended in a 6-0 drubbing before the German side put another ten past their Cypriot opponents in the second leg.
Among some of the German players to score in those two thrashings included the likes of current Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes and former Germany manager Berti Vogts.
Players from both teams have also met each other in the past. Moenchengladbach’s Mike Hanke, then at VfL Wolfsburg, faced AEL’s Michalis Constantinou during a UEFA 2008 qualifier between Cyprus and Germany back in 2006.
The two strikers met again when Germany won the second game a year later in an encounter which also featured AEL captain Marios Nicolaou and defender Christis Theophilou.
AEL’s Edwin Ouon came up against Moenchengladbach’s Igor De Camargo several times in the Belgian first division. The first time was in 2002 when Ouon, then at R. Antwerp, was on the end of a 4-2 home defeat to De Camargo’s Genk. They players also met again twice in 2003 and 2004 when K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder, where De Camargo went on loan, faced Antwerp.
Other previous meetings include Martin Stranz battle against Theophilou and Nicolaou when Austria beat Cyprus 3-0 in an under-21 game back in October 1999.
Christodoulou’s opposite Lucien Favre is confident his side will emerge victorious on Thursday night although he stressed the need for caution against AEL.
“We saw AEL against Anderlecht and they look like a strong side. They can defend in numbers but they also have very quick wingers so that makes them dangerous on the counter-attack.”
Meanwhile, tickets are still available for the game with AEL officials saying that they are pleased with the numbers so far.
Tickets for the west stand have been set between €60 and €90 for adults and between €15 and €40 for children. The south and east stands are priced €40 and €60 respectively with a fee of €15 for children in both stands.
VIP seats are priced at €150 each while the north stand will be left vacant for away supporters
Cyprus Weekly
