White Star team prepared for the new game season in their training base in Myślenice, because that was where this pre-season training camp was held. Several new faces appeared in Franciszek Smuda’s team. Maciej Jankowski, Michał Buchalik i Maciej Sadlok are players who transferred from Ruch Chorzów. Contract with the club was also signed by Lucas Guedes, as the coaching staff decided that the team will benefit from the young adepts of football who won the Polish junior championship as the senior division in June.

Seven control games were played to prepare the team for the struggles of Ekstraklasa. Interestingly, players from Kraków did not lose any of them, and the first test ended with a 2:0 victory over BCS Bochnia. The winning goals for White Star were scored in the first half by Boguski and Brożek. The meeting saw a debut of Michał Buchalik and Maciej Jankowski - playing in White Star colors for the very first time. The young players, such as: Furtak, Witek, Janus, Handzlik, Marszalik or Fernes, also got a chance to play.

The second friendly was held in Myślenice, and Wisła’s opponent was Rużomberok from Slovakia. Wisła approached their southern neighbor very seriously, which resulted in five goals. The following players sent the ball into the opponents’ goal that Tuesday afternoon: Stilić, Burligia, Boguski, Brożek. Maciej Jankowski also scored his debut goal.

During the second meeting held in the training base in Myślenice, the White Star drew 1:1 with MFK Karvina. The single goal for Wisła was scored by Jankowski, thus emphasizing his role as a vital piece of Franciszek Smuda’s puzzle. Friendly with the Czech team was also a debut opportunity for Maciej Sadlok who scored 90 minutes at left-back.

The players from the Cracow faced their next opponent - FK DAC 1904 Dunajska Streda, not in Myślenice, but in Poprad, Slovakia. From the beginning of the meeting, the Slovak Extraliga’s penultimate team did not intend to play defense. Despite the right-field attacks of Wisła, where Sarki was leading the charge and the middle of the field dominated by the trio of Stilić, Garguła and Jankowski, the opponents did their best to play combinative ball. The winning goal was scored just before the break by Paweł Brożek: Burliga received a nice pass from Stilic, then turned to Brożek who took a shot to the far corner thus defeating the FK DAC goalie.

The White Star faced their toughest opponent in preparation for the new season in Kalwaria. However, their rival was not the local Kalwiaranka, but MSK Zilina from Slovakia. Once again, Paweł Brożek showed himself to be an effective striker by using great play of Semir Stilic, then passing the Slovak defense and surely placing the ball in the opponents’ net.

Another rival of Wisła was the second-league Zagłębie Sosnowiec. Players from the capital of Małopolska destroyed their opponent by scoring six goals. The new players got their chance to shine in this meeting. Goals scored by Tomek Zając and Adrian Wójcik may give rise to optimism, as well as Sadlok who gave a fantastic shot, thus scoring his first goal in the colors of the White Star.

The last test before the league coincided with the celebration of the 95th anniversary of Soła Oświęcim. Wisła Kraków easily defeated the hosts 3-0, with goals being scored by Stilić, Boguski and Dudek. In total, Wisła played seven control games, of which in five they proved to be better than their rivals, and twice ended with a draw.

Smuda’s players sent the ball into the opponents’ goal nineteen times, losing only two goals. Paweł Brożek, who managed to win four duels with opposing goalkeepers, proved himself to be the best scorer during the preparatory period. Right behind him were Maciej Jankowski and Rafał Boguski (three goals) as well as Adrian Wójcik and Semir Stilić (two goals). Single goals were scored by: Burliga, Sadlok, Dudka and Zając.

Franciszek Smuda gave 31 players a chance to play. The player who spent the longest time on the field was Maciej Jankowski. He performed during a total of 610 minutes, out of the 630 possible. Right behind him was Dariusz Dudka with a score of 600 minutes. Other players have spent somewhat less minutes on the pitch, the table below shows the exact amounts:

Stilić – 512
Burliga – 460
Sadlok – 450
Głowacki – 418
Garguła – 407
Czekaj – 394
Uryga – 366
Buchalik – 360
Boguski – 321
Bieszczad – 270
Brożek – 296
Sarki – 290
Stjepanović – 167
Guedes – 162
Zając – 135
Lech – 100
Kuczak – 81
Bierzało -77
Handzlik – 77
Witek – 75
Furtak – 69
Wójcik – 65
Issa (testowany) – 45
Ferens – 34
Janus – 31
Marszalik – 31
Murawski (testowany) – 30
Żemło – 15
Szywacz - 14

A. Koprowski

Wisla Krakow SA Press Office