Raków Częstochowa return to league action after the international break, hosting GKS Katowice on Friday in the 10th round of the PKO BP Ekstraklasa. The match at the Miejski Stadion Piłkarski on Limanowskiego Street kicks off at 20:30, with gates opening from 18:30.
Home coach Tomasz Kaczmarek admitted the last two weeks were unusual for the coaching staff. “I'll be honest, for us coaches it was a very atypical break, the first one that actually lasted like two full weeks,” said Kaczmarek. Players have been returning to the club gradually since Monday, with some youth players back on Friday.
Ahead of the important clash with the 9th-placed side from Katowice, Kaczmarek has squad concerns. “I still have two question marks at my disposal which I need to consult with the medical team,” the coach noted in his pre-match press conference. It's an added complication for a team that has only one win and the most goals conceded after nine league matches.
The Częstochowa club is undergoing a period of transition after a turbulent summer. Key players left, including top scorer Jonatan Braun Brunes, defender Zoran Arsenić, and attacking midfielder Ivi Lopez. Michael Ameyaw and Ariel Mosór also moved to Korona Kielce. In return, several foreign players were signed, most notably striker Mahir Emreli, previously known from Legia Warsaw. The new head coach is Tomasz Kaczmarek, who arrived from Radomiak.
Despite the difficulties, Raków has an uplifting recent result. In their last official match, they beat Polonia Bytom 4-1, with Bogdan Mircetic scoring twice. The team currently sits 18th with 3 points and a goal difference of 12 for and 21 against, trailing league leaders Gornik Zabrze by 19 points.
The club encourages fans to arrive early and wear the team's colours. The warm-up is scheduled for 20:00. For Raków, this is a chance to gain valuable points and improve their dire position in the standings. The last meeting with GKS Katowice, played on July 16th, ended in a 1-1 draw.
Background and full detail: radiojura.pl
