Ekstraklasa: Pogoń Szczecin Hosts Widzew Łódź in High-Stakes Match

The upcoming duel between Pogoń Szczecin and Widzew Łódź, scheduled for February 28, 2026, is shaping up to be one of the most interesting events of the spring round. Although both teams still have to look over their shoulders in the table, their ambitions reach much higher, as confirmed by unprecedented spending in the winter transfer window. Widzew's owner, Robert Dobrzycki, allocated nearly 20 million euros for eight new players, while Pogoń, under the leadership of Alex Haditaghi, responded by contracting seven players. Permanent transfers of Mads Agger from Sonderjyske and Igor Brzyski from Italian Torino are the latest moves by the Szczecin club, aimed at increasing the firepower of coach Thomasberg's team. In the hosts' camp, there is moderate optimism after the last two victories, although the Portowcy's style of play still leaves much to be desired. The squad situation is complicated by the suspension due to yellow cards for Sam Greenwood. Meanwhile, Widzew arrives in Szczecin without Mariusz Fornalczyk, whose appeal against the penalty was rejected by the League Commission. New players, such as Steve Kapuadi acquired from Legia Warszawa, may get a chance to debut for the Łódź team. The match has an additional social dimension, as fans of both teams have recently maintained an official friendship relationship, which has translated into huge ticket interest and the need to launch additional public transport in Szczecin. The rivalry between Pogoń and Widzew is one of the classics of the Polish league, with roots dating back to the 1970s when both clubs began to play significant roles in the fight for the highest trophies in the country.Simultaneously in Krakow, local Cracovia is preparing for a clash with Piast Gliwice, grappling with a serious crisis in the attack formation. Injuries to Wiktor Bogacz and Gabriel Charpentier force coach Luka Elsner to devise creative tactical solutions. The club also decided to loan Bartosz Biedrzycki to first-division Górnik Łęczna. At the same time, Górnik Zabrze announced the strategic acquisition of Ksawery Semik from Hutnik Kraków, confirming the trend of Ekstraklasa clubs investing in the most talented Polish youth. „Gramy u siebie i musimy pokazać głód zwycięstwa. Z tego powodu mecz z Piastem jest dla nas bardzo ważny.” (We are playing at home and we must show the hunger for victory. That's why the match against Piast is very important for us.) — Luka Elsner The UEFA Europa Conference League system, which Pogoń's management dreams of, was introduced by UEFA in 2021 as the third tier of European cups, giving a chance for competition to a wider group of clubs from Central European leagues.