FC Twente vs Pafos – News and Probable Lineups

FC Twente takes on Pafos FC during matchday three of the UEFA Conference League group stage at De Grolsch Veste in Enschede on Thursday, as the home side aims to secure a third consecutive victory.

The Tukkers have recorded victories in both of their previous fixtures, placing them fifth with six points, while the Paphites currently sit 27th with one point, following a 3-1 loss to Atalanta and a 1-1 draw at home against Riga FC.

Match overview

John van den Brom’s team has kicked off their league-phase journey with a 1-0 win against Thun at home, followed by a 4-1 triumph over Lincoln Red Imps, marking their first two consecutive wins in a major European competition since 2001-02.

Ramiz Zerrouki netted the sole goal against Thun, just five minutes after the Swiss outfit was reduced to ten men due to a contentious red card, while Thomas van den Belt scored twice in Gibraltar, where Wout Weghorst and Daouda Weidmann also contributed to the scoreline.

The Tukkers subsequently secured a 2-0 victory over AZ in Alkmaar on October 25, with Sondre Orjasaeter scoring in the 84th minute and substitute Lucas Vennegoor of Hesselink adding his first Eredivisie goal in stoppage time.

This past Sunday’s 9-0 triumph against Excelsior marked the largest win in the club’s Eredivisie history, with Weghorst netting four goals for the first time in his career, and Orjasaeter becoming the first player to register five assists in a single Eredivisie match since such statistics have been tracked.

It is important to contextualize the scoreline, as Excelsior had to play with ten players for 85 minutes following Nesto Groen’s sending-off in the sixth minute for a dangerous challenge on Robin Propper.

The victories over Lincoln, AZ, and Excelsior resulted in a staggering aggregate score of 15-1, following their recent 2-1 home defeat against Utrecht on October 18, which still stands as the Tukkers’ only loss in any competition.

Weghorst joined the club on a free transfer from Ajax in June, reuniting with technical director Erik ten Hag, and after a shaky start that drew boos from home fans, he has established himself as a key player. However, he was substituted after 62 minutes at Excelsior due to a hamstring issue sustained at AZ.

Pafos are participating in the main draw of a European tournament for the third consecutive year, after reaching the Conference League last 16 in 2024-25 and the Champions League group stage in 2025-26.

This season, they triumphed over Hajduk Split 4-2 on aggregate during Europa League qualifying before being eliminated in the third round by Salzburg, losing 4-3 on aggregate, following a 1-0 defeat in Austria and a 3-3 draw at home, where they had a 2-0 lead at half-time but conceded three goals in the second half.

They advanced past Dinamo City of Albânia with a 5-3 aggregate scoreline in the Conference League playoff round, where they drew 1-1 away and then won 4-2 at home on August 27.

In the league phase, Atalanta led 3-0 at halftime through goals from Elmas, Raspadori, and Scamacca on their way to a 3-1 victory on October 15. Additionally, Biel secured a 1-1 draw with Riga FC on October 22 with a left-footed strike in the 76th minute after Caio Ferreira had given the visitors the lead in the 67th minute.

Pafos has conceded in each of their last six European matches, allowing a total of 11 goals, a streak that includes three goals conceded against Atalanta and three more in the second half of the return leg against Salzburg.

Pafos drew 2-2 at Apollon Limassol on October 31, with Lele scoring first after half an hour before substitute Anderson Silva equalized late in the game, leaving them winless in four matches across all competitions following the defeat to Atalanta and prior goalless draws with APOEL Nicosia and Riga.

Director Haris Theocharous stated to Cypriot media outlet Goal that the club is struggling to score from any position on the pitch, indicating a desire for a fresh start, although he assured that head coach Ricardo Sa Pinto’s position is not in jeopardy.

Sa Pinto, who took over from Albert Celades, oversees a squad that finished fourth in the Cypriot First Division last season with 62 points and clinched the Cypriot Cup, highlighting the contributions of Anderson Silva with 14 goals across all competitions and Joao Correia with 10 goals in the league.

Team News

Twente will be missing goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall, defenders Max Bruns and Stav Lemkin, along with winger Filip Thorvaldsen, who has sustained a knee injury. None of the aforementioned players are expected to return prior to the international break.

In the absence of Bruns and Lemkin, Ruud Nijstad and Propper have formed the central defensive partnership, with 18-year-old Jip Meilink making his debut at Lincoln, while Joel Drommel has been serving as the goalkeeper during the league phase.

Weidmann completed his Eredivisie suspension at Excelsior after receiving a second yellow card at AZ and is anticipated to return, although Van den Belt, who has netted three goals in the matches against Lincoln and Excelsior, has earned his place in the starting lineup.

Weghorst and Orjasaeter were both substituted after about an hour during the Excelsior match as part of a prearranged plan discussed at half-time, and with Ajax set to visit Enschede on Sunday, Van den Brom may limit their minutes again.

Pafos faces an extensive injury list, with goalkeeper Jay Gorter and forward Jaja ruled out for the long term. Additionally, David Goldar, Nicolas Ngamaleu, and Pepe have all missed recent matches, and Jonatas Noro has been sidelined since late October.

David Luiz and Biel experienced fitness concerns last weekend, but Luiz returned to the starting XI against Apollon Limassol, with Radoslaw Majecki taking on goalkeeping duties in Gorter’s absence, so Sa Pinto is expected to name a lineup similar to the one that faced Riga.

Silva came off the bench against Apollon Limassol after starting in the match against Riga, suggesting that Sa Pinto may once again adjust his attacking options, with Lele vying for a starting position following his recent goal.

FC Twente probable starting XI

Drommel; Van Rooij, Propper, Nijstad, Adelgaard; Zerrouki, Taha, Van den Belt; Rock, Orjasaeter, Weghorst

Pafos FC probable starting XI

Majecki; Bruno, Mmaee, Luiz, Ioannou; Guga, Dragomir, Brito; Correia, Biel, Anderson Silva

Pafos has allowed goals in each of their last six European encounters, including a scenario where they trailed 3-0 at halftime against Atalanta and relinquished a 2-0 advantage against Salzburg, which highlights a concerning defensive record ahead of their match against a Twente team that has scored 15 goals across their last three away fixtures.

Nonetheless, Twente benefitted from facing ten men for significant portions of their games against Thun and Excelsior, and with four injured players on their side, paired with Pafos scoring in five of their last six European outings, it is anticipated that the hosts will manage to score. However, a heavy defeat remains a possibility that cannot be dismissed.