‘The whole of Cyprus is buzzing!’

San Sebastian is one of Spain’s most superlative destinations, while Moldova is one of the few countries we’re yet to play in. But it’s fair to say that nowhere is excitement more pronounced than in Cyprus – the location for tonight's match in the competition, against Omonia. And few people are closer to the core of that excitement than Charalambos Loizou, secretary of our official supporters’ club in Cyprus.

“It's not every year that a Cyprus team even manages to qualify,” he tells us, down the phone from Larnaca, in the south of the country. “But I had this good feeling United were going to draw against AEK [Larnaca] or Omonia, and I was begging for Omonia because they've got a bigger football stadium.

“The draw happened at 2.15pm. If I remember correctly, at 2.16pm, the phone started ringing: 'I want four tickets.’ ‘Are we going to be able to watch them training?' I was like: ‘Guys, relax! Let the club sort things out first! It's been non-stop.”

‘Bambos’ – who is known all over the island as a United fanatic – has been working flat out ever since, to try and sort tickets for supporters’ club members and to organise parties for those fans who, sadly, will not manage to get inside the ground.

“We’ve sorted tickets for the Old Trafford game a lot easier than tickets in Cyprus!” he notes. “But we're organising big get-togethers in the pubs so people can watch from there. Some supporters have gone undercover and ordered tickets in the home section with Omonia. We're going back to 100 per cent capacity at least [post-Covid], so more tickets will be available to the public. But I could fill a stand of 4-5,000 Cyprus Reds, easily. Everyone wants to stand with the United fans, not in the home section.”

Beyond the hysteria around the upcoming match, the supporters’ club is recovering well after a difficult few years around the Covid-19 pandemic. MUSC Cyprus was made official in 2016/17 and growing “dramatically” before the first lockdowns hit in 2020.

“Before Covid, we had about 230 members, who were all official members of One United, so we could get better allocations for tickets,” explains Loizou. “When we opened up again, we went back up to 150, but another blow was the UK leaving the European Union. That means extra costs on members buying the full membership pack, because they have to pay an extra tax on top as soon as the pack arrives in Cyprus. There's also passport issues with flying to the UK, and the prices of air tickets went higher.”

Passion for the Reds remains strong, however – though the popularity of another English team that plays in red adds another level of tension to the upcoming match with Omonia.

“Every pub in Cyprus will be showing the game, because we have a lot of Liverpool fans as well,” he bemoans. “They will all be with Omonia!

“I've already told my bosses: ‘If, by any chance, Omonia beat Manchester United, I've got a week off work [to go to Manchester for the return game]. I'm going to close my phone. Do not look for me.’ Because people will be coming for me with the banter!”

It’s going to be a fantastic trip for Reds travelling from elsewhere in the world, too, given Cyprus’s reputation for tourism and the pleasant weather enjoyed in early October.

“Friends in the UK keep saying: ‘We'll come and see you because Cyprus is such a great holiday destination,’ but I say: ‘No, don't come, because we want more tickets for Cypriot fans!” laughs Charalambos. “Come any other time!'

“But it's going to be hot and those coming from the UK will feel the difference. The beaches all over Cyprus are a must. The first thing I tell people is to to try the local cuisine. When you go to a tavern, there are great mezes, local dishes, a lot of good beers, obviously.

“Most people arrive through Larnaca or Paphos, and both towns have tourist attractions. It depends on the age of the visitors – if it's the older generation, Paphos would be a more soothing and relaxing place to visit, with the castle, the port and the beach. If it's the younger lot, they’d prefer more hectic towns like Ayia Napa, which is really clubby. Other towns like Larnaca are trying to get that vibe in the nights too.

“But you can imagine how the feeling and everything is at the moment. The whole of Cyprus is buzzing for the game. It’s going to be big!”

This article was first created for an edition of our matchday programme, the United Review.