Green Gully head to the ACT next week to take on Olympic at Deakin Reserve in the last eight of the Cup. The Victorian side booked their spot with a 3-1 win over local rivals Melbourne Knights while the NPL Capital Football champions knocked out Queensland club Redlands United.

Many are tipping the Cavaliers as favourite in this match but Papas told FourFourTwo his preparation for the quarter-final had been far from ideal.

"By the time we play them our last competitive fixture would have been 28 days ago," he said.

"And their last competitive game is this Saturday. They've the perfect preparation with their grand final adnd the NPL finals, it keeps them match hardened.

"We're trying to find those situations by just designing them rather than they're just in front of them and we have to confront them. People's perception might be that it's a great tie [for Green Gully] but I think the team this year has proven they're a very strong outfit.

"They've already defeated the Queensland champions. It shows their level, they concede less than a goal a game in their domestic competition. We're well aware it's going to be a huge battle and we have to travel to Canberra as well to play them.

"We're under no illusions of how tough the tie is, and I'm sure hopefully it will be a great game."

The winner will progress to the semi-final with Green Gully having already pulled out of the biggest shocks of the competition after knocking out Central Coast, while Canberra enjoyed an impressive season both in the Cup and its domestic league.

Papas said he was not looking past the quarter-final to the potential prize that awaits.

"It's a great opportunity for both teams, for an NPL team to be in the semi-final of this competition," the 36-year old said.

"But if you take all those variables as well we're going to have to be absolutely spot on in everything we do from the minute we start the game to come away with the result.

"A semi-final spot is something that's on the line in this game but it's not something we're discussing about what possiblities could eventuate, because this tie alone is tough enough.

"It would be naive to talk about possiblities beyind this game."