Champions League Matchday 1: Olympiacos vs Pafos facts

Olympiacos return to the UEFA Champions League after four seasons away with a home game against competition debutants Pafos.

Last match

This is the first European fixture between the teams – and Pafos' first against a team from Greece.

Olympiacos have lost only three of their previous 12 matches against Cypriot clubs (W5 D4) although they have drawn each of the last three.

Olympiacos

Olympiacos are in the European Cup for a 36th season – a Greek record.

This is the Piraeus club's 21st appearance in the Champions League proper – but a first since 2020/21. That ended in the group stage, for the fifth successive Champions League campaign.

The Greek side lost to Bodø/Glimt in last season's UEFA Europa League round of 16, having finished seventh in the league phase.

Pafos

Pafos are in the Champions League for the first time. They beat Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the second qualifying round (1-1 h, 1-0 a), Dynamo Kyiv in the third (1-0 a, 2-0 h) and Crvena Zvezda in the play-offs (2-1 a, 1-1 h) with Jajá scoring an 89th-minute equaliser in the second leg.

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 the third team from Cyprus to reach the Champions League proper after APOEL (four times) and Anorthosis Famagusta (once) and the first since APOEL in 2017/18.

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

Key stats

Olympiacos have lost only one of their last nine European matches (W5 D3) and are unbeaten in seven at home (W5 D2).

However, Olympiacos have won only two of their last 20 Champions League group stage/league phase games, losing 16.

Pafos have lost only one of their last 12 European matches (W7 D4) and are unbeaten in six this season (W4 D2).

Pafos have scored in 13 of their last 14 UEFA fixtures.