The 2009–10 season was APOEL's 70th season in the Cypriot First Division and 82nd year in existence as a football club.
Season review Pre-season and friendlies The first training session for the season took place on June 10, 2009, at the GSP Stadium and on June 21, the team left to Obertraun in Austria, to perform the main stage of their pre-season training. On July 3, the team moved to Leogang to continue their pre-season preparation. APOEL returned to Cyprus on July 9. During the pre-season training stage in Austria, APOEL played three friendly matches.
Domestic Competitions LTV Super Cup APOEL started the season by winning the 2009 Cypriot Super Cup, beating APOP Kinyras 2–1 on 9 August 2009. Sebastián González opened the score for APOP Kinyras in the 4th minute and APOEL equalised with Boban Grnčarov in the 49th minute. The winner came from Nektarios Alexandrou in the 85th minute.
Marfin Laiki League APOEL finished 2nd in the 2009–10 Cypriot First Division with 65 points, behind champions Omonia which had 74 points. So, APOEL won a place for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.
Cypriot Cup APOEL reached the final of the 2009–10 Cypriot Cup by eliminating Ethnikos Achna (4–2 agg.), Ermis Aradippou (6–0 agg.) and Aris Limassol (2–0 agg.). In the Cup final which held at GSZ Stadium on 15 May 2010, APOEL lost from Apollon Limassol by 2–1. Apollon took the lead in the 1st minute with a goal from Moustapha Bangura and APOEL equalised in the 23rd minute with a header from Marcin Żewłakow. Apollon scored the winner with Giorgos Merkis in the 72nd minute with a header from close range.
UEFA Champions League
The team was the current holders of the Cypriot championship and as such entered the UEFA Champions League qualifying stages. A successful campaign saw them through to the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League group stages by eliminating EB/Streymur (5–0 agg.), FK Partizan (2–1 agg.) and F.C. Copenhagen (3–2 agg.). APOEL were drawn in Group D against Chelsea F.C., F.C. Porto and Atlético Madrid.
On matchday 1, APOEL drew 0–0 against Atlético Madrid at the first game at Vicente Calderón Stadium and won its first ever point in group stages. On matchday 2, APOEL faced up English giants Chelsea F.C. and the Cypriot team was beaten 0–1 by Nicolas Anelka's goal in the 18th minute. On matchday 3, APOEL played against F.C. Porto at Dragão. APOEL took the lead on 22’ from Álvaro Pereira's own goal but Hulk scored two goals on 33’ and 48’ with a penalty and finally lost 2–1. Then followed another match against F.C. Porto in Nicosia for matchday 4. APOEL stood well but lost 1–0 after Radamel Falcao's goal in the 84th minute. On matchday 5, APOEL drew 1–1 with Atlético Madrid at GSP Stadium. APOEL took the lead in the game in the 5th minute after Nenad Mirosavljević scored, but Atlético Madrid equalised with the Portuguese international Simão Sabrosa on 62 minutes. For matchday 6, on December 8, 2009, APOEL travelled to London to play against Chelsea F.C. At Stamford Bridge the team had the support of 6,000 fans who traveled from Cyprus. APOEL took the lead on 6th minute with Marcin Żewłakow, but Chelsea scored two goals with Michael Essien on 19’ and Didier Drogba on 26' to make it 2–1. APOEL equalised after Nenad Mirosavljević scored in the 87th minute and the match ended 2–2.
APOEL finished fourth in the group having equal points with Atlético Madrid, but failed to qualify to UEFA Europa League, because of the away goal that Atlético Madrid had scored in Nicosia. At the end of the season Atlético became the eventual winner of the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League.
Current squad Last Update: February 13, 2010
For recent transfers, see List of Cypriot football transfers summer 2009. Also, see List of Cypriot football transfers winter 2009–10.
Squad changes
In:
Total expenditure: €385K
Out:
Total income: €80K
Squad stats
Captains Marinos Satsias Chrysis Michael Constantinos Charalambides Christos Kontis Source: apoelfc.com.cy
Club
Management
Kit
Other information
Pre-season friendlies
Competitions
Overall
Marfin Laiki League
Classification
Results summary
Results by round
Playoffs table The first 12 teams are divided into 3 groups. Points are carried over from the first round.
Group A
Matches All times for the Domestic Competitions at EET
Regular season
Playoffs
UEFA Champions League
Qualifying phase
Second qualifying round
APOEL won 5–0 on aggregate.
Third qualifying round
APOEL won 2–1 on aggregate.
Play-off round
APOEL won 3–2 on aggregate.
Group stage
Key to colours in group tablesGroup winner and runner-up advance to the round of 16Third-placed team enter the UEFA Europa League at the round of 32Fourth-placed team is eliminated from all European competitions.
Group D standings and fixtures
Matches
LTV Super Cup
APOEL won the 2009 Cypriot Super Cup (11th title).
Cypriot Cup
Second round
APOEL won 4–2 on aggregate.
Quarter-finals
APOEL won 6–0 on aggregate.
Semi-finals
APOEL won 2–0 on aggregate.
Final
Apollon won the 2009–10 Cypriot Cup (6th title).
Notes
References