APOEL vs Paphos prediction
APOEL
The owners have fallen into a real crisis pit. It was one thing to get a resounding slap in the face from a modest Celje on their own field (0:2 after 2:2 away) and be eliminated from the Conference League, but the overall picture of what is happening is quite another. In the championship, Manolo Jimenez's team is a cosmic 18 points behind the leading Paphos, and even recently APOEL was considered the main favorite for the title. Yes, there was a 2-1 victory over AEL in the last round, but even in it, the Nicosians missed, extending the unpleasant streak with missed goals to 4 games in a row.
A separate headache is the team's infirmary, which resembles a field hospital. Doni, Ambanha (tore crosses and was out for six months), Alejo, Ndwali, Pieros Sotiriou, Marquinhos and Petrovic will not play. In fact, Jimenez lost half of his foundation. The issue is especially acute in defense, where they concede in every match - 4 goals in the last 3 games is a verdict for a team with ambitions for the championship. In addition, after the humiliating departure from European competitions, Jimenez's position looks shaky - an emergency management meeting was held at the club, and a match with Pathos could be decisive for the Spanish specialist.
Paphos
But at galuboi, everything is going like clockwork! Juan Carlos Carcedo's team is giving away a dream season, tearing everyone apart on the domestic stage and making history in European competitions. In the championship, Paphos sits single-handedly at the top with 58 points after 23 rounds, having phenomenal statistics - the third best attack (47 goals) and the best defense (only 10 conceded). On the international stage, the team made it to the 1/8 finals of the Conference League for the first time in history, defeating Omonia in the Cyprus derby (2:1).
The away game of Paphos deserves special admiration - 10 wins in 11 matches with a mind-boggling difference of 20:4. This result speaks to the incredible power of a team that is not afraid to play number one away. In the last 6 games, Galuboi have taken 13 points out of a possible 18, and in personal meetings with APOEL they have already been stronger twice this season - 2:1 in the championship and a penalty shootout victory in the Cup. It is also impressive that the team scores more than 2 goals per game on average, and concedes less than 0.5 - this is the best indicator in the league.
I would like to note that Carcedo has almost no problems with the squad, except for a minor injury to Zaza, who suffered a bruise in training. But the depth of the composition makes it possible to compensate for this loss painlessly. Jairo and Tankovic shine in attack, Pepe conducts in midfield, and the defense, led by Ivusic, looks like an impregnable fortress.
Prediction
All the facts point to the victory of Pathos in this game. APOEL, with a half-empty application and a crisis in defense, is simply not ready to face the best team in the championship, which is at its peak. The Galuboys have killer statistics on the road - 10 wins in 11 matches, and their attacking football simply leaves no chance for their opponents. In addition, Paphos has already beaten APOEL twice this season and knows the weaknesses of the Nicosia team very well.
The hosts look demoralized after their departure from European competitions and against the background of injuries to key players. Four goals conceded in the last three matches show that Jimenez's team's defense is bursting at the seams. And against the best attack in the championship, it can turn into a real disaster. The championship leader must calmly take away three points from Nicosia, especially since increasing the gap from his pursuers is at stake. The victory of Paphos at a coefficient of 1.71 looks like a real gift. Galuboi will once again confirm their class and take another step towards the championship.
