The team’s press officer, Christoforos Matthaiou, spoke to “SPOR FM 95.0” about everything related to Paphos.

He discussed the European match against Hajduk Split, discussed Koreia, who was left off the European roster, and left open the possibility of changes to the roster before the match.

He also emphasized that a great effort was made to keep Lukassen, but they have not received a response from the player, while in Serbia there is talk of a transfer to Red Star.

Here are his comments in detail

On the match against Hajduk Split: “We’ll wrap up our preparations here in Cyprus today and leave quite early tomorrow to head to Split. There, we’ll have the opportunity to hold our usual training session at the match stadium. We want to get off to a perfect start to the season with this very important game for us against a very strong opponent. Hajduk Split is a great team, with a rich history, and they seem like a major hurdle, but we’re heading to Croatia to fight and bring the qualification back to Cyprus so we can advance to the next round with confidence.”

Regarding the European roster and the details: “As for the roster, we have the flexibility to make up to two changes by tomorrow night. It’s very important for me to emphasize this because certain cases—especially that of Koreia—are being evaluated on a daily basis, and we’ll continue to assess his situation right up until our final training session in Croatia. If the player is able to help, we’ll make the necessary substitution.”

Who will be left out if a change is made: “It’s not my decision—for obvious reasons, the roster has already been submitted. We’ll determine whether any changes will be made right up until the final training session. The coaching staff will evaluate the situation and make the right decisions to ensure the team is as strong as possible and, of course, ready for the first two matches.”

Regarding Bruno: “He was left out of the last friendly match mostly as a precaution. He’s been evaluated daily, and for the past few days he’s been in better shape. We hope he’ll be ready to go as well, because both he and Correia are two very good players.”

Regarding Gorter: “He underwent specialized treatment in Rome, went for specialized tests at a medical center we partner with, and has officially begun his rehabilitation. It’s too early to give a timeline, but I think the team has shown its intentions by immediately replacing both goalkeepers. We’ve filled the gaps that arose during preseason, and I hope the team will be ready in those positions.”

Regarding the goalkeeper: “Majewski is ready as well.”

On the team’s current situation: “Another positive is that Sema and Sunic have returned from Saturday’s match. They’ll travel with the team; they’ve been on a different training schedule than the rest, so we’ll need to handle their situation with care.”

On transfers: “The first-team roster is full, so for a player to join, someone else must leave. We also have the option to sign Cypriot players or players from the “B” roster. It appears that efforts are being made in that direction right now, but all scenarios remain open.”

The case of Zorzino: “There’s nothing we can say. We’re keeping all possibilities open and aren’t closing the door on anything.”

Will there be any transfer developments in the coming days? “No, I don’t think anything will happen in the next few days; we’re fully focused on this game. I can’t say what might change from one week to the next. Right now, there’s nothing, but things can change from one moment to the next.”

On Sami Maé: “He’s an experienced player; he’s an important addition to the team. He played in the last friendly against Slovan and is gradually picking up the pace. He’s also available to the coach, and it’s up to Sa Pinto to decide who he’ll field in these two matches.”

The Lukassen situation: “What I can say about Lukassen is that the team did everything it could to keep him. The offer was exceptional; we made our intentions clear from the very beginning, but he wanted to wait and see what other options might come up. I’m not sure if he’ll rejoin us or if he’ll go to Red Star, as the reports say. We offered him something special, and he wants to wait, so it’s unlikely he’ll be rejoining the team. But I don’t want to finalize anything only to have the situation change later. The team had to make a decision, and right now, this is the situation.”

Departure time for Croatia: “It hasn’t been confirmed yet; we’re finalizing the details and will keep everyone informed.”

Regarding the fans in Paphos: “Tickets are still on sale, but we’ll have a better idea tomorrow. Tickets will be on sale until tomorrow, and we expect to have about 200 fans.”

On the draw: “If we manage to advance against an already tough team, the next one—Salzburg—will be even tougher. They’re part of the Red Bull group, and some incredible players have come through that club. We’ve proven—first and foremost to ourselves, and then to the rest of the world—that we’ll face any team that stands in our way on equal terms. It wasn’t exactly the best draw—there were easier teams to face. We’re talking about a club on a whole other level, but Paphos still believes it can advance.”