Raków Częstochowa has plunged into its deepest crisis in over a decade, with the club deciding to sack coach Łukasz Kroczek. The situation is so bad that the last comparable period dates back to April 2016 when the team played in the II liga and lost 8-1 at home to GKS Tychy. Raków has zero points after four Ekstraklasa matches, sitting in 18th place with a goal difference of 5 scored and 11 conceded.
What does the current league table look like?
Raków Częstochowa finds itself in an absolutely disastrous league position. The team has suffered four consecutive defeats, leaving them with zero points and bottom of the Ekstraklasa. They already trail leaders Legia Warszawa by twelve points, highlighting the scale of the problems. The club has conceded eleven goals while scoring only five, resulting in a -6 goal difference.
Among the currently sidelined players is Erick Otieno, whose absence is felt in defence. The situation is complicated by the fact that Raków is not playing in any European competitions this season, following a defeat to Hajduk in the fourth qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. That match saw a bizarre incident where a midfielder was sent off due to an error in entering his shirt number on the match sheet.
Why was the coach changed?
Club owner Michał Świerczewski made the decision to dismiss Łukasz Kroczek on Monday, immediately after the loss to Jagiellonia Białystok. This is another quick move from the president, who has a history of immediate reactions to failures. He acted similarly after the 2-0 Polish Cup final defeat to Górnik Zabrze.
Kroczek himself was helpless after the final match. "Comment is unnecessary, everyone saw how that match ended. We all feel helpless, that's the best word to describe the situation." Kroczek said after the match. His words did not convince the board, which decided to act.
Who left and how did it affect the team?
The club lost several important players in the summer, severely weakening the squad. The biggest loss was the departure of top scorer Jonathan Brauðer Brunesa, who had previously expressed interest in a move to Legia Warszawa. His absence is particularly felt in attack, where Raków struggles with efficiency.
Other squad issues compounded the problem. Adriano Amorim did not return from vacation, Stratos Svarnas is awaiting a transfer, and Marko Bulat has been removed from the first team. Before the season, only Michael Ameyaw received relative praise, but one player cannot carry the entire team. The current squad can be checked on our squad page.
What did the winning coach say?
Jagiellonia Białystok coach Adrian Siemieniec commented on the opponent's situation after the victorious match. "Projects, clubs, coaches have different moments. In recent years, Raków had good results, played in European cups, won Polish championship medals." said the Jagiellonia coach.
Jagiellonia itself has reasons to be pleased, having advanced to the UEFA Europa League group stage and earned three easy points in the league. Now the Białystok side is preparing for a postponed fifth-round match with Lech Poznań.
What is Raków's next fixture?
Raków Częstochowa faces difficult challenges ahead. First, the team will play on Thursday in a postponed match against Górnik Zabrze in Częstochowa. This game could be a chance to break the terrible run, but the opponent will not be easy.
Next, Raków faces an away match against the league leaders, Legia Warszawa, scheduled for 7 November 2026. All upcoming fixtures can be followed on our fixtures page. The team's current form, marked as LLLL, does not inspire optimism ahead of this clash.
