A Friendship Match by the Sea: Lechia Gdańsk vs. Raków Częstochowa Match Preview
At 5:30 PM on Saturday, April 25, the opening whistle will blow for a match where the most effective offense in the PKO Bank Polski Ekstraklasa will test the alertness of the current national runner-up. Saturday’s clash against Raków Częstochowa at the Polsat Plus Arena in Gdańsk, part of the 30th round, will be a true celebration for the fans. When the “Medaliki” and a well-disposed Lechia meet on one pitch, we can expect a showdown that will heat the stands to a boiling point.
We welcome Łukasz Tomczyk’s team after two matches where things didn’t quite go our way. Although our attack created opportunities in the matches against Piast and Wisła Płock, we lacked the clinical edge to turn them into a full set of points. However, we believe in the magic of our home ground, as the last time we tasted defeat in Gdańsk was in the February clash against Motor. Saturday’s hit match is the perfect opportunity for the national runner-up to find out firsthand that no one can feel safe under the amber roof.
“They are coming off a great run in Europe and are playing the Polish Cup final next week. They are a very well-organized team and play in a very specific way. They will certainly be a difficult opponent, but we want to win. I know a lot of fans are coming to the match – that’s good. The fans of both clubs have a good relationship. I can’t wait for the match and we ask for your support,” said coach John Carver.
“Actually, we know how to play against top opponents! I don’t know why it is that we play better specifically against them. I hope we continue this. I wouldn’t say we are in a crisis. We are not in a slump; we weren’t as bad against Piast as people think. This league shows how difficult it is to win matches. With five rounds left, practically every team is playing for something, which is an anomaly. That’s football – there will be difficult moments, but our confidence isn’t dropping. We must focus on the future; we have no influence over the past. We can’t change it,” added the “Green-and-Whites” coach.
OPPONENT PROFILE
In March, the “Medaliki” made headlines due to their excellent performance in European competitions. After an impressive run in the Conference League group stage, where Raków remained undefeated, the Częstochowa side finished in 2nd place and confidently advanced to the round of 16. A particular highlight was the spectacular 4:1 home victory over Rapid Vienna. However, in the round of 16, the team from under Jasna Góra proved slightly weaker than Fiorentina, an opponent from the Italian Serie A, ending their European adventure at that stage.
In December, long-time coach Marek Papszun, currently managing Legia Warsaw, bid farewell to the club. He was replaced by the former Polonia Bytom coach, Łukasz Tomczyk. Following the coaching change, the team began picking up points less consistently, recording only three league victories since January under his leadership.
Recently, however, Raków reminded fans of their potential again—after a penalty shootout against GKS Katowice, they advanced to the Polish Cup final. On May 2, they will face Górnik Zabrze at the National Stadium in Warsaw, with a chance to claim their third trophy in history. Raków remains a team with great potential, boasting many talented players. The “Medaliki” also impress with their tactical organization, especially in defense, which translates into a low number of goals conceded. Despite a weaker period in the league, they are still a team that cannot be underestimated.
Raków arrives in Gdańsk also boosted by a 4-1 crushing of Cracovia at their home stadium, which broke a seven-match winless streak. Patryk Makuch shone in that game with a brace, and Jonatan Braut Brunes, chasing Tomáš Bobček in the top scorers’ ranking, also found the net and is now only one goal behind our striker.
The recent crisis pushed Raków down to 6th place in the league table, putting their backs against the wall in the context of the battle for European spots. Raków will have to open up in Gdańsk and play for the full three points. For us, it’s a chance to exploit the gaps in their defense and dampen the Częstochowa side’s enthusiasm for chasing the league leaders.
RECENT MATCHES AGAINST RAKÓW
The first meeting between the two teams this season took place in Częstochowa on October 26, 2025. The match featured three goals, and despite a goal from Tomáš Bobček and a red card for the Częstochowa players, the “Medaliki” emerged victorious.
The last match at the Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk took place on August 23, 2024. A beautiful long-range goal by Rifet Kapić was unfortunately not enough, as Raków managed to turn the tide in the final minutes to win 1:2.
OVERALL HEAD-TO-HEAD
To date, we have played 32 matches against Raków. We have won 10 times, 5 matches ended in a draw, and we have left the pitch defeated 17 times. The goal balance is 39-58.
MATCH OFFICIALS
The #LGDRCZ match will be officiated by Koki Nagamine, for whom this will be the fourth appearance on Polish pitches. We recently encountered this referee during the away game in Płock, which ended in our 0-1 defeat. The main referee will be assisted on the lines by Masaru Hasegawa and Kohei Ando. Filip Kaliszewski will serve as the fourth official, while Kornel Paszkiewicz and Michał Obukowicz will be responsible for the VAR system.
WHERE TO WATCH THE MATCH?
If you cannot be at the Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk this Saturday to support our team, we encourage you to follow the live broadcast. The match will be available on the Canal+ Sport 3 channel, as well as on the Canal+ online service and app. The pre-match studio is scheduled for 4:55 PM.
