Captain Kvist proud to be writing history

FC København captain William Kvist said his team are "writing history" after they sealed their status as the first Danish club to reach the UEFA Champions League knockout stage with a 3-1 home victory against Panathinaikos FC on Tuesday.

The win confirmed København as runners-up behind FC Barcelona in Group D and they will now be one of 16 teams keen to discover their opponents when the draw is made on 17 December. "It was amazing – an amazing crowd, an amazing everything," said Kvist, whose side led 1-0 at the break through Martin Vingaard before a Jesper Grønkjær penalty and Djibril Cissé's own goal made the game safe. "We're writing history, it's just fantastic."

With Ståle Solbakken's men having already entered the Danish Super League winter break 19 points clear and unbeaten, midfielder Kvist suggested the players would not miss the chance to celebrate their latest achievement. "Tomorrow we have our team Christmas party so maybe tonight we'll just have a couple of beers, but I don't think anyone will be able to sleep for the next couple of hours," he said. "We're on holiday from now on and don't have to be in for training tomorrow."

A survivor of København's only previous group stage campaign in 2006/07, Kvist put their success this term down to a developing character within the team. "We've really grown in the last half a year," explained the 25-year-old. "We've really grown mentally. As you could see in this game, we weren't very nervous. It was the usual FCK home game in Europe, with us creating pressure. It was a great performance."

The No8 even feels they can advance further still, although they will be pitted against a section winner in the round of 16. "Anything can happen in the next round," he said. "It depends which team you meet. Personally I like the big games as it's more exciting. Real Madrid would be fun."

Panathinaikos anchorman Gilberto Silva, meanwhile, reflected on the disappointment of finishing fourth in the group. "Now we have to concentrate on the league," said the former Arsenal FC player. "We missed our chance when we played [FCK] at home [losing 2-0]. In the Champions League, if you don't get the results at home then it's very, very difficult. From a possible nine points at home we basically got nothing [one point].

"København were very organised," he added. "I congratulate them for the way they played and the way they fought for the ball. They're consistent. The way they played in Athens was the same as the way they played here. They deserved it."