Konstantinos Laifis injury concerns during national team preparation

APOEL defender Konstantinos Laifis has faced recurring physical discomfort, creating uncertainty regarding his participation in the upcoming Cyprus national team fixtures for the Nations League. Despite recovering in time to play in the derby against Apollon, the pain re-emerged in the same area, prompting the medical staffs of both APOEL and the national team to evaluate his condition daily. Head coach Apostolos Mantzios emphasized that the player will only participate if he is fully fit to avoid any unnecessary risks.

As a consequence of these health concerns, the Cyprus Football Association announced that Evagoras Antoniou from AEL has been called up to the national squad. While Laifis remains part of the 27-man roster traveling to Podgorica for the match against Montenegro, Christos Sielis has been officially ruled out of the trip due to injury. The national team is currently focusing on achieving a competitive performance in their group, with Mantzios aiming for long-term stability and success in the tournament.