Widzew Łódź appoints Mateusz Stolarski as manager following dismissal of Aleksandar Vuković

Managerial change in Łódź

Widzew Łódź officially presented 33-year-old Mateusz Stolarski as their new head coach on Friday, 11 September 2026. The appointment follows the dismissal of Aleksandar Vuković on Thursday after a difficult start to the 2026/27 PKO BP Ekstraklasa season. Stolarski signed a contract running until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, with an option to extend the agreement for an additional two seasons. The tactician had been without a club since parting ways with Motor Lublin in June 2026. Club executives confirmed that tactical divergence rather than any single match result dictated the parting with Vuković.

Head of sports development Łukasz Masłowski addressed the managerial change during the opening press conference at aleja Piłsudskiego.

Changes are a natural process in football, but until the last day, we supported coach Vuković. We had a different view of how this should look in the near future, and hence this parting.

Vuković tenure and results

Aleksandar Vuković departed the club having managed 19 matches in total, recording six victories, seven draws, and six defeats. The Serbian manager arrived during the previous campaign and secured top-flight survival in the final round of fixtures after a turbulent year under owner Robert Dobrzycki. However, the 2026/27 season began with only one win in seven Ekstraklasa fixtures, a 2:0 away victory over Jagiellonia Białystok. With four draws and two losses, Widzew sat in 13th place with seven points while remaining winless at home. The team also exited the Polish Cup in the first round following a 0:1 home defeat against Korona Kielce.

Stolarski coaching profile

Stolarski previously spent four years at Motor Lublin, serving as an assistant before taking over as head coach in March 2024 following the departure of Gonçalo Feio. During his spell leading Motor Lublin across 82 matches, he guided the squad to top-flight promotion and recorded 30 wins, 24 draws, and 28 losses. Under his management, Motor finished seventh in their first campaign before ending the following season in 12th place. His coaching career also includes earlier spells at Stal Rzeszów and Wólczanka Wólka Pełkińska. At Widzew, he works under a restructured sporting division led by Masłowski, sporting director Artur Płatek, and head of scouting Piotr Kosiorowski.

Immediate debut against Legia

The incoming coach will make his sideline debut on Sunday, 13 September 2026, when Widzew travel to face Legia Warsaw at 17:30. Stolarski noted that his immediate focus is on selecting the lineup and refining tactical discipline rather than making expansive promises. He emphasized that fan connection and collective commitment remain central to his approach. Widzew previously spent approximately 23 million euros on 23 players under Dobrzycki, including 5.5 million euros for Osman Bukari. Stolarski now assumes responsibility for stabilizing the first team after four managers took charge during the preceding campaign.

Speaking at his introductory press conference, Stolarski set out his approach to building trust with the supporters.

Fans love this club, but I want them to also love the team and strongly identify with it. That is my goal.