APOEL: Champions League Miracle Workers Have Nothing to Lose Against Real Madrid

What are APOEL of Cyprus doing in the Champions League quarterfinals?

It's a question many will be asking this week, as an enduring football fairy tale delivers its most fantastical chapter yet: the visit of nine-time European champions Real Madrid to the GSP Stadium in Nicosia.

It was quite the draw for APOEL, who became the first Cypriot team to reach the last eight when they upset Lyon in a penalty-shootout victory.

Delirious fans partied on the streets until the early hours after goalkeeper Dionisios Chiotis performed the heroics, while the influencers in Cyprus fell over each other to laud a sporting "miracle" that brought pride to an entire nation.

"APOEL has proved it can do the impossible," said Yiannakis Omirou, president of the Cyrpus House of Representatives.

"This is a historic distinction, which makes us all proud," wrote President Demetris Christofias in a letter of thanks to the club.

To put APOEL's achievement in perspective, consider that their record signing, Brazilian striker Ailton, came in at just £630,000. Consider the average annual salary of their players is a mere £180,000 and that the club survives on a yearly budget of £7.2 million.

(Numbers like that would be loose change at Madrid, who spent £80 million on Cristiano Ronaldo alone, and pay some of their players around the same in a week that APOEL stars earn in a year.)

We should also bear in mind that Cyprus has a population of just over a million and its national league was ranked 20th strongest in Europe by the 2010-11 season UEFA co-efficient, below the likes of Israel and Austria.

Such lowly status meant APOEL, having won a 21st home title, had to negotiate three two-legged ties in qualifying just to turn up in the group stage of the Champions League.

Their epic campaign began last July against KF Skenderbeu Korce of Albania. Slovan Bratislava were next, with Wisla Krakow of Poland the final hurdle before APOEL finally landed in a group alongside Zenit, Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk.

There it should have ended, but, remarkably, APOEL finished top, beating Zenit and Porto at home and holding out for three draws on the road.

It was an impressive feat and drew deserved praise across Europe, but Lyon will still have greeted its pairing APOEL in the last 16 as the gentlest of passages imaginable.

The French side dominated but could only manage a 1-0 win at home in the first leg, and saw their advantage quickly cancelled out in the return. From there tension took hold and neither side could avoid taking the game to spot-kicks at 1-1 on aggregate.

Thanks to Chiotis, APOEL prevailed and their Serbian coach Ivan Jovanovic will probably never have to buy a drink in Nicosia again.

"We never believed that we would be where we are today. But when you have players which so much confidence, then it is possible. When you have a stadium filled with fans like ours, then it is possible. This is fantastic for everyone," Jovanovic said.

APOEL's GSP Stadium will be rocking once again on Tuesday night, with reports claiming the 23,000 capacity could have been sold out 10 times over for the visit of Jose Mourinho's star-studded Real Madrid.

It will be the second huge game in the space of a week for APOEL and their fans, who took on bitter rivals Omonia on Friday night in the Nicosia derby. The game finished 0-0, leaving APOEL third in the league table behind Omonia in second and AEL top.

To make it back to the Champions League next season, APOEL will either need to improve on their position or be crowned champions of Europe in May.

The bookmakers clearly don't rate very highly their chances of doing the latter. Despite making it through to the last eight, APOEL's odds are as high as 250-1 with some to lift the trophy, making them probably the least fancied quarterfinalists in Champions League history.

However, while Real Madrid will surely prevail over two legs, APOEL have one last chance to make Cyprus proud before their fairy tale draws to its natural conclusion at the Bernabeu.

Their strong home form and impassioned home support won't make things easy for Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Co., and based on APOEL's accomplishments this season, you can't rule out the Cypriots at least avoiding defeat.

Even a draw against a Madrid team—who are in their 29th quarterfinal, have won seven of eight in the Champions League this season and are considered by most the first or second favorites (with Barcelona)—would be a huge achievement.

If APOEL were to win, Cyprus would have little choice but to declare a national holiday.

Either way, the miracle workers of Nicosia have nothing to lose. Their story has already colored the 2011-12 Champions League and given hope to teams from traditionally smaller football nations all across Europe.

APOEL are probably the most overachieving football team on the planet right now. So get behind them on Tuesday night.

They might not have much more time to shine in Europe's spotlight.