2023/2024 Cyta Championship Predictions

Wait, aren’t you the guy who predicted AEL would come first last season? Why would we listen to you?

I don’t know man, you clicked the link. You must think something of me… Plus, you won’t shut up about it, so I guess, that’s also good?

So, how did the league finish last season?

APOEL Nicosia
AEK Larnaca
Aris Limassol
Pafos FC
Apollon Limassol
Omonia Nicosia
Nea Salamina
AEL Limassol
Anorthosis Famagusta
Karmiotissa Pano Polemidion
Enosis Neon Paralimni
Doxa Katokopias
Olympiakos Nicosia
Akritas Chloraka

Then the Play-Offs finished:

Aris Limassol
APOEL Nicosia
AEK Larnaca
Pafos FC
Apollon Limassol
Omonia Nicosia

And the Relegation Play-Outs finished:

Anorthosis Famagusta
Nea Salamina
AEL Limassol
Karmiotissa Pano Polemidion
Doxa Katokopias
Enosis Neon Paralimni
Akritas Chloraka
Olympiakos Nicosia

So Paralimni, Akritas and Olympiakos are down. So no more talking about them for a season. Instead, we have Ethnikos Achnas, Othellos Athienou and AEZ Zakakiou. Champions of industry.

*Champions of this table at Starbucks! Yay!*

14. Othellos Athienou

Othellos are in the First Division for the second time in their history, representing the small town of Athienou with a population of just over 5,000 people. Their budget isn’t great and they would not be expecting an attendance of anything over 300 unless they play anyone from the Top 6/8.

They have signed a couple of interesting players, especially at the top end of the pitch. Michal Duris has signed for them following successful stints at Anorthosis, Omonia, Ethnikos and Karmiotissa. The striker has scored 48 goals in 174 games in Cyprus. On the other end of his career from the 35 year old there is also Kareem Ben-Kmayal, who at 21, is a product of the Huddersfield Town, Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace academies and has been with Peyia 2014 in the Second Division for the past 3 years. There are only details from his last season at Peyia where he managed 7 goals from 27 games. I also want people to look out for Liberian defensive midfielder Lawrence Panda. Because, come on. His name is Lawrence Panda.

*Imagine Mayambela getting slide-tackled by this guy.*

13. AEZ Zakakiou

AEZ are another team who will be in the First Division for the second time in their history. The first time they were in the First Division they were deducted points 6 for match fixing which was more than half of their points total after the 26 game season.

However, new owners, new sporting director (Costas Konstantinou, who we interviewed on This Is Mappa) and new outlook. They seemed to have made friends in the right places, picking up a load of players released from Aris, including ex-Aris captain Delmiro and Martin Slogar who was on loan to Olympiakos last season. They have also signed a few players from Achyronas-Onisillos in the Second Division, albeit one is very experienced, especially for his age, Ally Reynolds. They did however somehow lose their best player last season which was Curtis Yebli to newly promoted side to the Second Division ASIL Lysis. Not sure what decisions were made there. When we asked Costas about Yebli, it was before his announcement to leave, but Costas had stated his disappointment in the advice Yebli was receiving about his career.

Only reason I don’t have them finishing bottom is because of the Aris players they have brought in.

12. Ethnikos Achna

*All 3 promoted clubs getting relegated? Daring today, aren’t we?*

I don’t know how Achna manage to bring in the number of players they have brought in. They have a similar value of loans to APOEL, and they definitely do not have the crowds, sponsorships or Europe to pay them. Nevertheless, they have managed to pick up some interesting players.

They will be expecting a lot from veteran Dimitris Christofi, who was signed following his release from Anorthosis. There is also a lot expected from young players like Pechlivanis who was at Olympiakos last season, Nicoloau and Fiakas who were contracted to Nea Salamina and Enzo Cabrera who was at Birkirkara in malta last season and managed 13 goals and 5 assists in 25 games. One player who was out on loan last season and expected to leave is Marios Ilia, who APOEL have not been able to sign.

Achna will need to avoid the red cards, but it also seems they’ve signed a load of shithouses, a lot of what seem to be aggressive players. They’ve signed a goalkeeper who 20 yellow cards in 157 games, Emmanuel Lomotey who is a defensive midfielder with 5 red cards in 114 appearances, and de Iriondo from Rayo Majadahonda who has 6 reds in 160 games.

Three big losses however for Achna, which is why I’m going for them to go down. Adoni, who was on loan at Nea Salamina last season has signed for Apollon, Obama was released and before the season started, wheeler-dealer Harry Redknapp wannabe and last season’s coach Pambos (Charalambous) was released. Pambos has since joined Olympiakos, and they now have a team that is going to destroy the Second Division.

11. Doxa Katokopias

Doxa have made massive improvements in the team that just avoided relegation last season, bringing in players like Sielis who has returned to Cyprus following the last few years spent in South Korea, young Italian defender Ciccone, Muhammed from Sarajevo, Puric from Partizan and others. Not only this, but they have managed to keep hold of Asante and very, very experienced forward and Dennis Bergkamp copycat Berat Sadik.

APOEL signed a couple of their better players from last season, and eyes will be on Karamanolis and Abdullahi, otherwise people will be questioning their purchase. Benny, Herrera, Ilic and Kovacevic have also gone, which could hurt them.

Let’s see. I think their chances of survival are based on whether or not Sadik scores goals. Doxa were down and out until Sadik started scoring in the Play-Out. He only scored 3 in 24 in the regular season and then 5 in 14 in the Play Out.

10. AEL Limassol

The club is in turmoil at the moment. The spending and disaster of last season has taken it’s toll, on two separate managers, the now ex-president of the club, the players and the fans.

The somateio has taken control of the limited company, who had been in disarray following seasons without trophies and a big spending summer last season, bringing in Kevin Mirallas, Saido Berahino, Jared Khasa and other more well-known players. These players were brought in on absolutely huge wages, and a lot of them were released over the summer, since they couldn’t agree to reduce their salary. Those who did are going to be very important for the club, including Muriel in goal and Berahino up front. Tshibola has gone to the UAE, captain Teixeira has left and the players that have been brought in to replace these players, do not bring confidence. George Marsh performed fine, I guess, for AFC Wimbledon and other players do not have that much experience. Even AEL’s younger players have left, with Karmiotissa signing Panteli and other youth team members leaving to head to places like Sassuolo.

The fans have no confidence in the manager, with their last friendly marred by trouble between the coach and the fans as they insulted his wife and kids.

The somateio released a statement of the summer specifically to point out that the club owes money to players (current and former) and dismissed coaching staff in unpaid salary. This is not a club on the rise.

9. Karmiotissa Pano Polemidion

Knobloch is gone.

*But how will I secure my privates now?*

Thandi, gone. Duris, gone. Kaltsas, gone. Celutska, gone, Gaztanaga gone, El Allouchi gone. But…

The players brought in are very interesting propositions. Mouktaris at Olympiakos, Suk from HNK Gorica, Milinceanu and Panteli from AEL and a couple of players from Greece.

But the best thing for the team is that they haven’t fired their coach yet (the 7th from last season), and they have kept players like Gravenberch and Doumbia. They are lucky there are at least 3 teams worse than them this season.

8. Nea Salamina

Could be a not so dark horse for the top 6, especially with the signings they've made this summer, the biggest one being ex-PSV and Swansea Netherlands international Luciano Narsingh, to provide the assists for Dorregaray.

Poursa-ball is not quite over for them, keeping Pourasitides' assistant on as head coach, who seems to work with the same philosophy. Another one missing for them this season, who was a rock for them last, is Zacharias Adoni who, following his contract expiry at Achna, signed for Apollon instead. They have also had a transfer saga of their own, with Chico Banza playing the club like a fiddle, forcing a move to Anorthosis. Could be a demoralising behind-the-scenes story.

Which is why I have them in 8th. That, and their defence will need work.

7. Pafos FC

Everyone around them seems to have improved their squads, while Pafos, instead of strengthening, have gone for more of the same and in fact, instead of going for people they necessarily need, are instead going for players like Steven Nzonzi, who, like Bruno last season, is more likely to upset the balance of the team. On top of that, they have signed Alef Manga on loan, who has been embroiled in the match fixing scandal shaking up Brazilian football at the moment.

They will once again be reliant on Jairo to pull the club kicking and screaming into the top 6, but there's too much competition for it at the moment. The transfer window closes in the middle of September though, and if anyone's season starts badly, they will be the club to buy themselves out of trouble.

In their head coach, they have a former assistant to Unai Emery, so will be looking for him to provide the tactical masterclass. You need the players for that.

It's a season of transition for them, and I think they will be looking to bring up some of their youth players. Would like to see Lysandros, Dall'Igna and Efzona make some appearances. Probably won’t happen though, knowing how much money Dubov is throwing at the team to stay completely still.

*Youth? At this club? In this league? In this economy? … Can I see it?*

No

6. Anorthosis

Anorthosis have made drastic improvements in the disappointing team from last year, getting rid of players like Ebraldze, Ninga, Antoniadis, Sabo and Baixinho. They have kept Guerrero and Tejera who performed admirably for them following their signing in January, and they have kept Waris. Which means I can wear my t-shirt when he inevitably scores.

They've basically raided the Spanish leagues for all their signings (and Chico Banza). Plenty to look forward to for Anorthosis, but I don't think they're quite there to be challenging for the European places.

5. Apollon Limassol

The souvlakia have gone cold with Pittas moving to Sweden. At the other end they’ve also sold Jovanovic to Partizan and Roberge has left the club to go to AEK.

It’s hard to see where the goals are going to come from, even with the signing of Chilean international winger Sagal. The goalkeeper reinforcements don’t instill a lot of confidence either, with their preferred number 1, Leeuwenburgh being sent off in the first half in his last game for FC Gronningen last season, and what would have been his deputy, Antosch from Pafos, reportedly being offered on loan to other clubs.

Of course, the aforementioned Sagal and the signings they have made in defence (such as the previously discussed Adoni) may keep them in the exact same position as last season. So why do I have them finishing 5th? Their form at the beginning of last season was atrocious for a team of their stature, and if they had been just that little bit better, they would have been in Europe this season too.

4. Omonia Nicosia

If they want Europe again next season, they'll have to win the Cup for the third season in a row. I don't believe they have enough to knock the top 3 off their perch, but I think they will push them all the way, especially if Bezus continues the rich vein of form he is in at the moment. Their signings have augmented the team, and I'm looking forward to Semedo getting lots of assists and failing to score (well, as much as an APOEL fan can, anyway). We haven't seen much of Simic yet, but he should be pivotal for forward play.

The big thing they are missing at the moment is an out-and-out striker who scores goals. It’s something they have missed for a while now. The transfer window in Cyprus is closing in the middle of September and any transfers to finish off the transfer window will probably be confirmed following Omonia’s european exploits, which are not done as of the time of writing this.

They have also made some improvements in defence, bringing in Koulibaly from Dijon, and what would have been an interesting fullback signing in Erakovic. We won’t be seeing Erakovic anytime soon however, with the player suffering a massive injury in one of the club’s friendlies at the beginning of the season.

Need more photos of Koulibaly stood next to Loizou. Look at the size difference!

3. AEK Larnaca

For the first time in a very long time, AEK have actually kept a manager, not only for a whole season, but have kept him on over the summer and seem to have backed him. Oltra is the first manager since Imanol Idiakez (the first time) to have lasted more than a full calendar year, which was between June 2016 to May 2018. included in the list of coaches that haven’t done that include Andoni Iraola, who is now at Bournemouth, and Charalmbous, who is now at Steua Bucharest. That is a big deal.

Another big deal is, so far this summer the club has been able to keep hold of important attacking players such as Faraj and Gyurcsó who both have been rumoured to have their suitors. Not only this, but they have imporved their defence, bringing in players like the experienced ROberge from Apollon, Katelaris from Oostende in Belgium and ex-Panathinaikos player Facundo Sanchez. The only thing still playing against them for climbing up further in the league seems to be a continued reliance in their forward line on ivan Trickovski who is now 36 years old and Rafa Lopes, who seems to know where the goal is only once every 6 games.

2. APOEL Nicosia

APOEL have exercised the right on a lot of their contracted players from last season to extend the contracts for another season. And why not? There was an almost winning formula there, so they would be looking for the last couple of steps up to overtake Aris this season, to take the title back off them. The club and the fans will be expecting far more goals from captain Kvilitaia, who scored 8 goals in 30 league games last season. This is a player, who in his first season in the Cypriot First Division scored 10 goals in 23 games. In addition to this, with a change in coach and philosophy, you would hope to see fewer injuries.

Players with experience such as Petrovic, Wilson Edouardo, Tomane and Fetfatzidis have been brought in, with some of these players having their own questionable injury records to contend with as well, so it all hinges on keeping everyone fit. They have also signed Tasos Donis permanently from Rennes, who is a physio’s worse nightmare. If they can get him fit and firing on all cylinders and wrap him in cotton wool, bubble wrap and aloe vera after every game, that could be the signing to take the title back to Nicosia. Case in point, last season when he was on loan at APOEL, he scored 5 goals and assisted 2 in 18 games.

There is added pressure on the team to qualify for the group stages of the Conference League, as the club President as specified many times, that the club finances hang in the balance on the edge of a cliff, and if European competitions are not extended beyond the summer, the club would be in danger of dropping like a stone. At the same time, he’s telling everyone that he is going to build a stadium. Sure.

Aris Limassol

It’s not diifficult to see why I’m going for Aris to win it for a second time in a row. Their attacking movement and the three pronged forward line of Mayambela, Gomis and Babicka are going to scare defences for a very long time. I’m not sure they even need Alexandr Kokorin in there. They have kept much of the league-winning side from last season, only losing Pileas in defence and the aforementioned Kokorin. They have strengthened by bringing in Urosevic and Sane in the full back positions and Montnor and Nikollic up front.

But…

That central defensive position is going to be a problem. Any team will be looking to exploit long balls over the top, and with more skillful and speedy forward lines, that defence is going to suffer a lot, especially in the centre.

Aris will need to score a lot of goals like last season. They were top goalscorers in the league last season, beating Pafos by 5. They will also need a good defence. Last season they had the second best defence. There is no way they will repeat that, unless they bring in good reinforcements.