( CNN ) -- Football 's version of the fabled David vs. Goliath battle will begin on Tuesday as Europe 's top club competition kicks off its quarterfinal stage . In one corner , modern-day giants Real Madrid -- one of the richest sporting teams in the world , with a squad featuring the planet 's most expensive player , Cristiano Ronaldo . Seeking to find a suitable slingshot are the players of APOEL Nicosia , a tiny Cypriot club playing in the last eight of the UEFA Champions League for the first time -- indeed , being the first team from the Mediterranean island to even reach the knockout stage . The gulf in pedigree between the two teams is immense . Real , with revenue of more than â‚¬400 million ( $ 530 million ) last year , will seek to notch a record 200th win in the competition in the first leg in Nicosia . The Spanish league leaders last won the competition in 2002 , but have an unmatched nine crowns since the first staging in 1955-56 . APOEL have a yearly budget of â‚¬9 million ( $ 12 million ) and a squad featuring no big names , bolstered by several South Americans . Both teams have a Brazilian player named Kaka -- Real 's is an $ 85 million former world player of the year , while APOEL 's is a defender on loan from German club Hertha Berlin who also played for the club 's Nicosia rivals Omonia in 2010 . They have another thing in common , this time an Argentine link which further highlights the clubs ' different worlds . Santiago Solari was a midfielder who enjoyed a glittering career which saw him win the Champions League with Real in 2002 and Spanish league titles in 2001 and 2003 . But while Santiago played alongside `` Galacticos '' such as Zinedine Zidane , Luis Figo and Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldo , his younger brother Esteban Solari was beginning his career with Buenos Aires club Defensa y Justice . Santiago turned out for historic teams such as Argentina 's River Plate and Italy 's Inter Milan during 15 years as a player , but Esteban has enjoyed a more modest career . The 31-year-old has played for nine clubs across three continents , waiting patiently for the chance to step out of his sibling 's shadow . `` I spoke to my brother and other members of my family after the draw , '' Esteban Solari told UEFA 's official website . `` We spoke a bit about the history of the club ( Real ) and who they are . But that does n't change my feelings about this tie with respects to my brother having played for them . `` I go into this game just like any other player in the team . We are confident and we believe in ourselves . '' APOEL , who have played just 49 Champions League matches compared to Real 's record total of 343 , have already upset the odds to make it this far in the competition . Ivan Jovanovic 's team finished top of a group which contained Russia 's Zenit St. Petersburg , Portuguese champions Porto and Ukrainian title winners Shakhtar Donetsk -- three teams who have all tasted glory in the second-tier Europa League in the last four years . APOEL 's unlikely run continued in the round of 16 with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over former French champions Lyon -- who had reached the knockout stages in each of the previous eight seasons . Esteban Solari hopes his brother would not begrudge APOEL a semifinal berth , where the minnows would face either 1993 winners Marseille of France or Germany 's four-time European champions and 2012 final hosts Bayern Munich . `` My brother is obviously a big supporter of Real and he will be hoping that they can go on to lift the trophy , '' the striker said . `` But somehow , I believe there will be a piece of his heart rooting for my team as well . '' Real will be motivated by the prospect of an `` El Clasico '' final against archrivals and Champions League holders Barcelona , after the two teams were kept apart in the quarterfinal and semifinal draw earlier this month . Barca , who beat Real in the semifinals last year before going on to defeat Manchester United in the final , face a heavyweight clash against Italy 's seven-time winners AC Milan on Wednesday . Tuesday 's other quarterfinal tie pits 2008 runners-up Chelsea -- who have enjoyed an upturn in domestic form since sacking manager Andre Villas-Boas earlier this month -- against Portugal 's Benfica , who lifted the European Cup twice in the 1960s .
Spanish giants Real Madrid take on Cypriot minnows APOEL Nicosia on Tuesday . APOEL are the first Cypriot team to have reached the Champions League knockout stages . Real are aiming for a record 200th win in Europe 's premier club competition . Real have played 343 matches in the competition , APOEL have played just 49 .