Champions League play-offs: Pafos vs Crvena Zvezda facts

Pafos are well placed to reach the UEFA Champions League proper for the first time as they take on regulars Crvena Zvezda in the second leg of their play-off tie.

Last match

The Cypriot side were 2-1 winners in Belgrade on 19 August thanks to goals from João Correia and Pêpê although Bruno Duarte's reply has given the Serbian champions hope.

Pafos

Pafos are in the Champions League for the first time.

The Cypriot club took part in UEFA competition for the first time in 2024/25, losing to Elfsborg in the Europa League first qualifying round but going on to reach the UEFA Conference League round of 16.

Juan Carlos Carcedo's side are aiming to be the third team from Cyprus to reach the Champions League proper and the first since APOEL in 2017/18.

Pafos were crowned Cypriot champions for the first time in 2024/25.

Crvena Zvezda

The Belgrade side are looking to reach the Champions League proper for the fifth time – all since 2018/19 – and the third in succession. They were 29th in last season's league phase on six points (W2 L6).

Last season's 3-2 aggregate victory against Bodø/Glimt (1-2 a, 2-0 h) made Crvena Zvezda's play-off record W3 L1.

'Red Star' had never lost in normal time to a team from Cyprus before the first leg (W3 D6), which made it six games without a win against Cypriot teams (D5 L1).

European champions in 1991, Crvena zvezda claimed their eighth successive Serbian league title – and 36th championship overall – in 2024/25, also winning the Serbian Cup for the fifth season in a row.

Key stats

Pafos are unbeaten in their five qualifying matches this season (W4 D1) and have won the last four, beating Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the second qualifying round (1-1 h, 1-0 a) and Dynamo Kyiv in the third (1-0 a, 2-0 h).

Pafos have opened the scoring within the first two minutes in their last two qualifiers.

A 3-0 loss at Djurgården in last season's Conference League round of 16 second leg is Pafos' only reverse in 11 European games (W7 D3).

Pafos have won eight of their last ten home European matches (D1 L1).

Crvena Zvezda beat Lincoln Red Imps 6-1 on aggregate in the second qualifying round (1-0 a, 5-1 h), before a 4-2 defeat of Poznań in the third (3-1 a, 1-1 h).

Bruno Duarte has scored in four of Crvena Zvezda's five qualifiers this season.

Crvena Zvezda have lost the second leg in only one of their last 12 European ties (W6 D5).

Penalty shoot-outs

Pafos have never been involved in a European shoot-out.

Crvena Zvezda's record in seven UEFA penalty shoot-outs is W5 L2:
6-5 v Real Madrid, 1974/75 European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final
2-4 v AC Milan, 1988/89 European Cup second round
5-3 v Marseille, 1990/91 European Cup final
4-3 v Metz, 1998/99 UEFA Cup first round
6-5 v Omonoia, 2012/13 Europa League third qualifying round
7-6 v Copenhagen, 2019/20 Champions League third qualifying round
2-4 v Omonoia, 2020/21 Champions League third qualifying round