Anorthosis set for uncharted territory

Sumber uefa Anorthosis Famagusta FC chairman Andreas Pantelis is confident 2008/09 will finally be the season when a team from Cyprus breaks into the UEFA Champions League group stage. Setbacks The Cypriot champions have come agonisingly close to realising that dream in the past only to fall short at the final hurdle. In the last 14 years, Anorthosis have been eliminated at the final qualifying stage by Rangers FC (twice), K. Lierse SK and Olympiacos CFP, having beaten notable opposition in previous rounds. Last season Temuri Ketsbaia's side suffered more disappointment when English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur FC denied them a place in the UEFA Cup group stage with a 7-2 aggregate victory. 'Final push' However, that has not dampened their optimism and Pantelis believes that Anorthosis – who went through the whole of last season's Division A programme unbeaten to claim their 13th title – have one of their best ever teams and can make that final jump into the promised land. "We will try and repeat our performances of the past when we play in Europe," he told uefa.com. "I believe we have a stronger and better team this year compared to other years so we are capable of making that final push on to the big stage." Silverware Since taking charge as player-coach in 2004, the 40-year-old Ketsbaia has proven a big success, guiding the team to two league titles as well as a Cypriot Cup. The former Newcastle United FC and AEK Athens FC striker also engineered one of the greatest results in Cypriot football history when he steered Anorthosis to a 3-2 aggregate victory over Turkish side Trabzonspor in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. "Ketsbaia is a great coach, there is no doubting that," added Pantelis. "He gains more experience with every year that goes by and he has a bright future ahead of him. Of course, that means a bright future for Anorthosis as well." Wary The route to that future continues on Tuesday when Anorthosis host Armenian title-winners FC Pyunik in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The match was scheduled for the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca, but has been switched to the GSP Nicosia Stadium as there were concerns over the surface, given the recent drought and water shortage on the island. New venue or not, Anorthosis will need to have their wits about them. "Of course we need to be careful against them but I think we need to be careful against any unknown opponents in Europe," continued Pantelis. "We were seeded so we will need to prove that we deserved to be."