Urko Pardo: A familiar face will be in goal for Apoel against Barcelona
Lining up in goal against Barcelona for Apoel Nicosia on Wednesday night will be Belgian-born Spanish stopper Urko Pardo.
The link goes further than the 31-year-old merely returning to his parents' homeland for a Champions League game: Pardo played for Barça as a teenager and made almost 20 appearances for the B team.
Now stopping shots in Cyprus, he says it will be "very special" to play against his former club at Camp Nou.
And having dressed in Blaugrana between 1999 and 2007, on and off, he knows just how big the task is which him and his colleagues are set to tackle.
"We will try and play one on one with Barça," he explained, "but we know that will be very difficult.
"We'll try to take something positive from Camp Nou.
"It is very special to be here and to play in the Champions League. It's also true that it's nice because I spent eight years here, although that is all forgotten when the game starts.
"Barça are a dangerous team. It is difficult to play them at any time, even at the beginning of the season."
Pardo, who is closing in on 100 appearances for Apoel, who has previously trainied alongside Lionel Messi, will be hoping to keep the Argentine out when the Champions League returns to Camp Nou.
