Anorthosis Famagusta's Champions League fixture against Werder Bremen on Wednesday is billed as the biggest game in Cyprus football, as victory could qualify the minnows for the next stage.
For that remarkable feat to happen, Group B favourites Inter Milan must despatch Panathinaikos at home, but Temuri Ketsbaia, Anorthosis' Georgian coach and an ex-Newcastle player, has high hopes of his team going through.
"We are very close, we have a good opportunity to qualify for the last 16," Ketsbaia told AFP. "I believe Inter will win their game to qualify top of the group and we have a good chance to finish second, but it will be a difficult game against Bremen."
Definitely one of the 'small fry' in the competition, Anorthosis face Bremen in a decisive battle that could see the Germans unceremoniously dumped out of the competition if they lose.
The Cypriot team, making their Champions' League debut this season, are second in their group on five points with only one defeat in four, while winless Bremen are bottom with three points.
They are in touching distance of adding another glorious chapter to the European fable that even the most ardent of fans did not dare imagine possible.
Ketsbaia has earned legendary status for his exploits on the European stage by masterminding a string of better-than-expected performances from his pick-n-mix of wise heads, Cyprus internationals and journeymen players.
The outsiders go up against Bremen full of confidence after coming within ten minutes of humbling Jose Mourinho's Inter, who were saved by substitute Julio Cruz.
Anorthosis showed they were no pushovers after twice coming from behind to take the lead, almost causing an earth-shattering upset with the 3-3 thriller.
Defying logic has become a trademark of the 12-times Cyprus champions in this competition. In every home fixture bar one since qualification began in mid-July, Anorthosis have notched three goals a game.
Another triple score against the Germans might just do the trick. Bremen suffered a 3-0 reverse to Panathinaikos in their previous match and must vastly improve to get a result on Cypriot soil.
Anorthosis have already brought a fantasy to life by becoming the first Cypriot team to reach the group stage but their ambition has not stopped there. They have continued to defy the form book by earning a credible 0-0 draw at Werder Bremen, thrashing Panathinaikos 3-1 and holding Inter - with the only blot a 1-0 defeat in Italy.
And this is a club that averages around 5,000 fans every home game with an annual budget that would struggle to pay Diego's wages at Bremen. Ketsbaia's tactical knowledge and man-management skills have spearheaded Anorthosis' transformation into Euro giant killers. "This is a club that almost went bankrupt five years ago, they brought in a manager and left him to do a job. Full credit to him for getting the maximum out these players," coach Stephen Constantine told AFP.
"It's not an exaggeration to call this the biggest game in Cyprus football. It's been a fantastic success for Cypriot football, Anothorsis and Temuri," said the one-time India coach.
Another Temuri masterstroke was securing the services of Greek international and Euro 2004 hero Traianos Dellas and Brazilian veteran Savio who scored in Saturday's 2-1 win over Apollon Limassol to keep Anorthosis among the leaders. Their absence against Inter was noticeable but the inspirational duo are expected to return, although French midfielder Cedric Bardon will miss the game while Albanian keeper Arian Beqaj is an injury doubt.
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