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Pafos had not been ahead in a Champions League game before Derrick Luckassen (l) headed home Cypriot champions Pafos picked up their first ever win in the Champions League proper as they stunned Villarreal. The hosts, formed only 11 years ago, have lost just one of their 10 matches in the competition this season, including qualifiers - and that was to Bayern Munich. And this was another landmark moment for the team managed by ex-Arsenal assistant Juan Carlos Carcedo. Dutch defender Derrick Luckassen scored the historic winner with an unmarked header following a 46th-minute corner from former Watford winger Ken Sema. Cyprus' president Nikos Christodoulides, a Pafos fan, reportedly missed the goal - taking his seat a minute after Luckassen had nodded in. Villarreal, who are yet to win in Europe this season but third in La Liga, had the bulk of the game's chances but could not beat Pafos keeper Neofytos Michail. Pafos are playing their home games at the Alphamega Stadium in Limassol, which is about 40 miles away as their own ground does not meet Uefa requirements. They were formed in 2014 when two clubs from the region merged - AEK Kouklia and AEP Paphos - who themselves had been part of a merger of two other teams in 2000. They started in the second tier and bounced around between that and the top flight until the 2017 takeover by Roman Dubov, a Russian businessman with British citizenship who had a spell as Portsmouth owner in 2011. Since Carcedo's arrival in 2023 they have won their first two trophies - the Cypriot Cup in 2024 and the league last season - and reached the knockout stages of the Conference League on their European debut in the previous campaign. Their big summer signing was David Luiz, the ex-Arsenal, Chelsea and Brazil defender, who played 90 minutes in this match to help keep out a Villarreal attack featuring ex-Premier League players Ayoze Perez, Nicolas Pepe and Manor Solomon. Champions League debut and Luiz - the rise of Pafos Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 5th November 2025 at 21: 56 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Juan Carlos Carcedo Formation: 5 - 4 - 1 Manager: Marcelino García Formation: 4 - 4 - 2 Manager: Juan Carlos Carcedo Formation: 5 - 4 - 1 Manager: Marcelino García Formation: 4 - 4 - 2 UEFA Champions League All competitions This will be the first time that Pafos – managed by a Spaniard in Juan Carlos Carcedo – have faced a Spanish opponent in European competition. The only Cypriot opponent that Villarreal have previously faced in Europe is Apollon Limassol, who they beat home (4-0) and away (2-0) in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2014-15. The last UEFA Champions League match between Cypriot and Spanish sides was a 6-0 win for Real Madrid against APOEL Nicosia in November 2017. Indeed, the last six matches between teams from those nations in the competition have been won by the Spaniards for an aggregate score of 22-2. Pafos are on their longest winless run in major European competition (four games – D2 L2), and have failed to score in three of those four matches. They are yet to lead at any point of a UEFA Champions League match this season; one of only five sides to fail to do so across the opening three matchdays. Villarreal have lost 11 of their last 16 matches in the group/league phase of the UEFA Champions League (W3 D2), while their only clean sheet across those games came in a 2-0 home win versus Young Boys in November 2021. Pafos have faced 66 shots across their three UEFA Champions League match this season (five goals conceded); the most of any side. Although they have not led at any point in a game so far, they’ve spent the longest percentage of their match time level (73% - 211 minutes overall). Villarreal have been trailing on the scoreboard for 71 percent of their game time in the UEFA Champions League this season (losing for 204: 39 in total). Through the first three matchdays of this season’s tournament, only Ajax (86%) were behind for a higher percentage of their matches. Pafos have recorded the fewest high turnovers (7) of any side in the UEFA Champions League this season, while opponents Villarreal had the joint-fourth fewest (14) across the opening three matchdays. Defender David Luiz has had the most shots inside the box (4) and touches in the opposition box (5) of any Pafos player in the UEFA Champions League this season, as well as leading the Cypriot side for expected goals (0. 79). Nicolas Pépé has created 11 chances for Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League this season, with only Real Madrid pair Kylian Mbappé (16) and Arda Güler (12) creating more across the opening three matchdays of the current edition. Match ends, Pafos 1, Villarreal 0. Second Half ends, Pafos 1, Villarreal 0. Offside, Villarreal. Renato Veiga is caught offside. Renato Veiga (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Ivan Sunjic (Pafos). Foul by Gerard Moreno (Villarreal). David Goldar (Pafos) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt saved. Santi Comesaña (Villarreal) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Neofytos Michael (Pafos). Assisted by Nicolas Pépé. Fourth official has announced 7 minutes of added time. Attempt missed. Anderson Silva (Pafos) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Pape Gueye (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. Foul by Manor Solomon (Villarreal). Vlad Dragomir (Pafos) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Attempt missed. Nicolas Pépé (Villarreal) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a corner. Corner, Villarreal. Conceded by Derrick Luckassen. Attempt blocked. Pape Gueye (Villarreal) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Manor Solomon. Substitution, Pafos. Bruno Langa replaces Domingos Quina. Gerard Moreno (Villarreal) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Domingos Quina (Pafos). Foul by Manor Solomon (Villarreal). Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.