Former Legia Warsaw and Poland striker Marek Saganowski sits down with Daniel Sobis from beIN SPORTS to discuss the opening weeks of the 2026/27 Ekstraklasa season. He explains why he already sees Marek Papszun's influence at Legia, why Raków Częstochowa need to stop trying to copy their former coach, assesses Widzew Łódź's ambitious project, and names his favourites for the Polish championship and the Golden Boot.

Daniel Sobis: Marek, thanks for taking the time. We broadcast the Polish Ekstraklasa across the United States and Canada on beIN SPORTS, so it's always great to get insight from someone who's experienced the league from the inside, both as a player and as a coach.
Let's start with the league itself. Last season was incredibly unpredictable. The traditional hierarchy was turned upside down, and almost every week brought a surprise. Do you expect the same kind of chaos this year, or do you think this season will be more predictable?

Marek Saganowski:
To be honest, that's exactly what makes the Ekstraklasa so special. It's incredibly difficult to point at one or two clubs and say, "These are definitely the title contenders."
That's one of the biggest strengths of Polish football. Every season another club can emerge. We've seen Jagiellonia establish themselves among the league's top teams over the last several years, but now you can also imagine clubs like Widzew Łódź, Korona Kielce or GKS Katowice taking another step forward and challenging for the top six, or even for European places.
That's what makes the Ekstraklasa so entertaining—it's simply unpredictable.

Daniel Sobis: Speaking of title contenders, let's talk about Legia Warsaw. They had a disappointing campaign last season, but now Marek Papszun has taken charge. The results have been encouraging so far - two wins and a draw, but do you already see his influence on the team? Is there already a visible change in the way Legia play?

Marek Saganowski:
The biggest advantage Marek Papszun has right now is that he can focus almost exclusively on building his team. Of course, from Legia's perspective, not playing in European competitions isn't an ideal situation. We're all used to seeing Legia represent Poland in Europe every season.
But from a coaching standpoint, it actually gives him more time to work. He can concentrate on developing his squad, implementing his ideas and improving the players he's chosen without having to worry about playing every three days.
Personally, I already see his fingerprints on this team. If you look at their recent run, stretching back to the end of last season, they're now unbeaten in six consecutive matches. That's a sign that the team is moving in the right direction.
Will that be enough to compete for the Polish championship? That's much harder to answer. As I said before, the Ekstraklasa is so unpredictable that making early predictions is almost impossible.

Daniel Sobis: Before the season, Marek Papszun was very cautious when discussing Legia's ambitions. He emphasized the number of changes within the squad and pointed out that the club is in a different place than it was a few years ago. From your perspective, as a former Legia player, is there such a thing as a "transition season" at Legia Warsaw?

Marek Saganowski:
No. Absolutely not. At Legia Warsaw, nobody talks about transition seasons. Nobody at that club can say the goal is simply to rebuild or to be patient. At Legia, you compete for the Polish championship every single year. That's the expectation from the supporters, the club and the players.

The squad is full of experienced professionals, and the younger players are hungry for success.
That's why I don't really believe in the idea of a transition season at Legia. If they were to finish seventh or eighth again, miss out on the Polish Cup and fail to qualify for Europe for another year, people would start asking serious questions immediately. At a club like Legia, you're judged on results. That's simply the reality.

Daniel Sobis: One final question about Legia. As a former striker, what advice would you give Mileta Rajović? How do you unlock a player who's getting chances but isn't converting them?

Marek Saganowski:
I'm not sure there's anything left to unlock. The reality is that he gets into very good positions, but he doesn't finish enough of those chances. He'll probably score eight, maybe even ten goals over the course of the season, but at the same time he'll waste twenty clear opportunities.
That's simply the type of striker he is. I'm no longer convinced it makes sense to keep forcing the issue. For me, the more exciting partnership going forward is Zjawinski and Adamski.
They're young Polish players, they have plenty of room to develop and, in a year or two, they could be sold to stronger European leagues. That's a much more valuable long-term investment for Legia.

Daniel Sobis: With the arrival of another striker, it feels like Rajović's future at Legia is becoming increasingly uncertain. Is this a clear sign that Marek Papszun has already made his decision?

Marek Saganowski:
I think so. At the beginning, I was one of the people saying Rajović deserved patience. Every striker needs a run of games and a bit of confidence. But even when he started scoring, the same problem kept coming back, he would miss too many clear chances.
Eventually, you have to make a decision. From what we're seeing now, I believe his time at Legia is coming to an end. The arrival of another striker means competition for places will become even stronger, and I expect Rajović to see fewer and fewer minutes. A loan move before the transfer window closes wouldn't surprise me at all.

Daniel Sobis: Let's move on to Raków Częstochowa. They've had a disappointing start to the season with two defeats. Do you see this as a football issue, or is it more about balancing domestic football with European competition and dealing with changes inside the squad? Or perhaps we're simply seeing the effects of life after Marek Papszun?

Marek Saganowski:
Replacing Marek Papszun was always going to be incredibly difficult. It's one thing to inherit a successful team. It's another to reproduce what he built over so many years. Yes, it's still very early in the season, and Raków's European campaign is obviously a major priority. But you can't afford to neglect the league.
Personally, I think the club may actually need something completely different now. Not another coach trying to recreate exactly what Papszun did.

Daniel Sobis: That's an interesting point. Why do you think that?

Marek Saganowski:
Because football doesn't work like that. You can't simply copy someone else's system and expect identical results. For several years now, Raków have continued to appoint coaches who were closely connected to Papszun or worked under him. It feels like the club keeps looking for someone who can duplicate the same ideas, the same methods and the same style of football.
But that's impossible.
Every head coach needs his own identity. He needs his own philosophy, his own ideas and his own way of managing a team. Marek Papszun made those decisions instinctively because it was his project. Someone else cannot simply imitate that.
That's why I believe Raków should seriously consider whether continuing down the same path is really the right solution.

Daniel Sobis: Let's talk about Widzew Łódź. There have been major changes - not only in terms of transfers, but throughout the sporting department. Do you think this is already a team capable of qualifying for Europe this season? Or perhaps even challenging for the title?

Marek Saganowski:
The quality of the players isn't the issue. We all know where many of them have played and what they've achieved during their careers. The real question is whether they're already functioning as a team.
Personally, I don't think they're there yet. I don't believe this is the finished product that coach Aleksandar Vukovic ultimately wants to see. That said, the away win against Jagiellonia was hugely important. Victories like that give a team confidence and belief. Now they have to prove it wasn't a one-off by following it up with another strong performance.

Daniel Sobis: So is Widzew already a genuine contender?

Marek Saganowski:
It's still too early to say. But I have a lot of faith in coach Vukovic. I've worked with him before, and I know the way he operates. If the club gives him time, I genuinely believe he's capable of building a team that can compete for the Polish championship. Whether that happens this season or a little later—that remains to be seen.

Daniel Sobis: Finally, let's touch on Lech Poznań. They're the reigning Polish champions once again. Looking at the squad they've built and everything they've achieved over the past few years, are they still the biggest favourites to retain the title?
Or do you think there could be signs of fatigue after so much success?

Marek Saganowski:
No, I wouldn't call it fatigue. Lech have enough quality and enough competition within the squad to keep performing at a high level. What disappointed me was their Champions League qualifier against Aarhus.
To have the game under control at home and then let that advantage slip away—that was difficult to understand. I don't think anyone really knows how that happened. But that's football.
It reminds you that if you're not fully focused for ninety minutes, everything can fall apart in just a few moments. That said, I hope Lech respond well. Their recent 3-0 win over Piast Gliwice was a very positive sign.
Hopefully that's the beginning of them rediscovering the level we've seen over the past two seasons.

Daniel Sobis: So you still expect Lech to be right in the title race?

Marek Saganowski:
Absolutely. And I actually hope that's the case, because it makes the Ekstraklasa much more exciting. Think about it. Legia have to fight for a place in the top three.
Górnik Zabrze have looked very impressive. There's Jagiellonia. We've talked about Widzew.
Then you have clubs like GKS Katowice, Korona Kielce, and if Raków recover, they also belong in that conversation. Suddenly you're looking at seven or maybe even eight clubs capable of competing near the top of the table. That's fantastic for the league. It means every weekend matters.
I think Lech got carried away a little after that away victory against Aarhus. Maybe they relaxed for a moment. But their latest league performance showed signs that they're waking up again.
That's why I still see them as one of the strongest teams in the Ekstraklasa.

Daniel Sobis: If you had to pick one dark horse after the opening weeks of the season, who would it be?

Marek Saganowski:
Right now? I'd probably say Górnik Zabrze. They're playing some very good football.
But there's an old saying among coaches that you only really know what kind of team you have after eight to ten league matches. I completely agree with that.
We're only a few rounds into the season. In the Ekstraklasa, two or three matches don't tell you very much. The table can change dramatically within a few weeks.
So I'd rather wait another five or six games before making any strong predictions.

Daniel Sobis: The transfer window is still open, but has there been one signing that has particularly caught your attention?

Marek Saganowski:
Definitely. Karol Swiderski from Widzew is one of them. He's a Polish international, so naturally I'm very curious to see how he'll develop.
Another interesting move is Bartosz Bereszyński joining Motor Lublin. Players like that returning to the Ekstraklasa are always good news. It raises the prestige of the league.
When established internationals decide to come back to Poland, people abroad start looking at the Ekstraklasa differently. The league earns more respect, and that's something Polish football needs.

Daniel Sobis: One final question. You were a striker for both Legia Warsaw and the Polish national team. When you look at the forwards currently playing in the Ekstraklasa, do you see anyone who stands out? Who are your top three candidates to win the Golden Boot this season?

Marek Saganowski:
A top three? That certainly makes it easier. First of all, I absolutely love watching Mikael Ishak.
For me, he's the complete centre-forward. He's a natural goalscorer, but at the same time he contributes so much more than just goals. He works incredibly hard defensively, helps in the build-up, links the play and leads by example. He's a true captain and exactly the kind of striker every coach would love to have. I've always had enormous respect for the way he plays the game.
My second pick would be Lukasz Zjawinski. He's started the season very well and already has two goals. He's full of confidence right now, and I think he'll stay among the league's top scorers if he maintains this level.
I'd also include Jordi Sanchez. Interestingly, he's already scored more goals in the Ekstraklasa than he managed during his time with Wisła Kraków in the First League. He's made an excellent start, and I'm curious to see whether he can maintain that consistency throughout the season.
And if I can sneak in one more name, I'd mention Karol Czubak as well. I really hope he establishes himself among the league's best strikers because he certainly has the qualities to do it.

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