Hernán Losada gave a big interview to Argentine media. He talked about the amazing streak of 11 wins in the league and cup.
Here’s what he said:
“Our situation is quite unusual for a coach. You take over a team mid-season—we started on December 15 and played our first game three days later—and won all 11 games we played. This caught attention here and in nearby leagues. What’s impressive is the short preparation time, as there was none. We debuted, won, and then had a one-week break. Seven days later, we played again… On Sunday, we traveled to Nicosia to face Omonia on Monday. They had been knocked out of the Conference League on Thursday. We hoped they would advance because it would boost the league’s coefficient, giving us more spots or fewer qualifying rounds in UEFA competitions.”
About the league structure, he said:
“It’s a regular league with 14 teams where we all play each other twice, followed by playoffs. The regular season ends just before the March break for national team games. The top six teams fight for the title and European competition spots. Teams ranked 7th to 14th play to avoid relegation, with three teams getting demoted. It’s tough for both top and bottom teams.
To qualify for UEFA competitions, the Cypriot champion must go through three qualifying rounds to reach the Champions League group stage. The second and third places enter qualifying rounds for the Conference League, while the cup winner plays one or two rounds in the Europa League. There’s no direct qualification, so it’s crucial for Cypriot teams to do well in competitions to improve their future coefficient.
Pafos FC made history this year by reaching the Champions League group stage. They beat Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv, and Red Star Belgrade. In the new format, they drew with Olympiacos and Monaco, defeated Villarreal, and faced Juventus, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich.”
