Cyprus Famagusta event at opening of Anorthosis vs Werder match

Football fans will be getting a taste of Famagusta, home of Anorthosis football club, before the kick off of the game between Anorthosis and Werder Bremmen, to take place on Wednesday at GSP stadium in Nicosia, for the Champions League.

Speaking at a press conference, Famagusta Mayor Alexis Galanos said a grand reception is being organised for the match. ''Before the match starts, we will all see the town of Famagusta in a symbolic way. It will be a message that will be transmitted to 19 countries and millions of people watching this game,'' he said.

Yiannis Papanicolaou, who is responsible for receiving the German team, told the press conference that ''we are preparing 2,000 placards with three or four different colours, two metres by 1.20 metres, depicting small windows that will symbolise the 2,000 blocks of flats in Famagusta.''

He explained that the placards will be given to all seats except those reserved for the visiting team's fans and that the image the people will get is that of a densely populated town. The whole event will last three minutes and 15 seconds.

Galanos and Papanicolaou both noted that everything was being organised with the consent of UEFA.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Famagusta has been fenced-off since 1974.