When Cypriot giant-killer APOEL, formed in a sweet shop, faces the mighty Real Madrid on Tuesday, some might call the Champions League quarterfinal first leg tie, the biggest mismatch ever at this stage of the competition.
Real's multi-million euro Galacticos will take on a team that usually falls under Europe's football radar.
Unkind observers could tag the contest as one between the journeymen no hopers of APOEL and the all conquering superstars from Spain. But throughout this campaign, the unfancied Cypriot has defied the odds in rewriting the history books — giving justification to UEFA boss Michel Platini who campaigned for a level-playing field for smaller clubs.
APOEL has come through the qualifying rounds to become the first Cypriot team to reach this stage of the competition. More than 6,000 fans turned up at Nicosia's GSP stadium on Friday to snap up the last 300 tickets. The 23,000 capacity ground could easily have been sold-out three times over such is the interest in this game.
All eyes on Ronaldo
Obviously the star attraction for many Cypriots is the chance to see one of the world's best players in action — Cristiano Ronaldo.
In terms of budget and status, APOEL is the smallest club left in the competition, especially in contrast to Real Madrid.
And APOEL's financial clout pales into insignificance when compared to the planet's richest football club with a 490 million euro budget.
Goal-machine Ronaldo is the world's most expensive player, costing Real a record 80 million pounds on an annual salary exceeding 13 million.
APOEL's record signing is Brazilian striker Ailton who cost 700,000 euros from Copenhagen in 2010 and its highest paid player Esteban Solari doesn't make in a year what Ronaldo earns in a week.
At APOEL most players' salaries do not exceed 13,000 euros a month. Real's transfer budget this season was 130 million euros — dwarfing the Cypriot club's entire spending of around 8.6 million euros a year and the most APOEL spent on a player this season was Kaka from Hertha Berlin for 260,000 euros.
Helder Sousa, a 34-year-old Portuguese midfielder, was the only new addition in the transfer window costing 90,000 euros. Needless to say, a triumphant run in Europe has generated more than 22 million euros for APOEL which is enough to keep the club going for the next three seasons.
Matteo hopeful
Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo is looking to his Benfica old boys as the Blues attempt to edge closer to the semifinals against the Portuguese giant here Tuesday.
Di Matteo's side head into its quarterfinal at the Stadium of Light, hoping to exploit the inside knowledge of defender David Luiz and midfielder Ramires, who both played at Benfica before joining Chelsea.
“They are looking forward to going back and it can help. They know the atmosphere and the team,” Di Matteo said.
Benfica coach Jorge Jesus is confident his side has the firepower to trouble Chelsea's defence, with Paraguayan striker Oscar Cardozo and Argentinean veteran Pablo Aimar the danger men.
