Blind Football: Operation "Wroclaw"

On May 17-18, the capital of Lower Silesia will host the second round of the 2025 PGF Blind Football League championship. Wisła BF will be defending their leading position, although the schedule will make the task difficult.

Four matches in two days – that's the challenge facing the Wisła blind football team and its players. In such a short time, they'll play two first-round matches and a second-round match.

"It's been a while since we've faced such a physically demanding task, but those are the rules of the game and fate has decided this. We must focus on approaching each match with calm and a sensible tactical plan, with the support of the coaching staff, because with this intensity and a relatively short bench, that will be key. No matter what, we'll give it our all." – explains Gabriel Olech, who plays with number 14.

The first opponent will be Warta Poznań BF, who only managed to win one point in the first round, and the "Greens" players will certainly approach this clash motivated, just like the ARTS Warszawa BF team, with whom coach Foryś's players will have the opportunity to meet for the first time.

"We're aware that we're favorites in both matches, and we're also aware that our opponents won't be going down – quite the opposite. Warta BF already has a lot of games under their belt, so they're experienced. The team from the capital is a very well-rounded team, which makes up for any lack of experience." – notes Martin Jung, the best scorer of the White Star BF.

The last Saturday match will be the beginning of the second round, and for our section it will begin with a match against Rekord Bielsko-Biała BF, which is famous for its extremely defensive style, which, after strengthening the goalkeeper position, took its toll on our strikers in the first match.

"The Bielsko-Biała team gave us a real hard time in Kraków. Like us, they'll have two Saturday matches on their legs, and our teams will be a bit tired. Concentration will be crucial here to beat Karbowski. We believe we'll create a few good chances that will give us all three points, and we're also counting on their defense against our other opponents." – recalls Mateusz Krzyszkowski, who is returning from an injury.

The grand finale of the round will be the rematch against Śląsk Wrocław BF. In the first match, our team won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Jung, allowing the White Star BF to jump into the top spot despite having played fewer games. If both teams don't stumble in the upcoming round, this match could decide the top of the table.

"What can I say, this will be a very important and very difficult match. Wrocław will certainly want to collect all three points; they're playing at home, they'll have played fewer matches than us, and they'll undoubtedly be motivated. However, we know our worth and strength, and despite some personnel issues, we'll fight for a win that could prove decisive." – says Captain Marcin Ryszka.

Wisła will head to Wrocław with a weakened squad. Paweł Zinkow hasn't been able to return to full strength, and Ignacy Łukasiewicz, who was supposed to make his debut in the upcoming round, sustained an injury during one of the final training sessions. Mateusz Krzyszkowski returns after a six-month break, but the coaching staff will need to manage his strengths skillfully.

"We did everything we could to get Paweł and Ignacy ready to play, but some things can't be rushed by sheer force of will, so we don't want to risk aggravating any injuries. The team will be a bit weakened, but we're sure they'll be able to handle any match." – adds Marek Żychowski, club physiotherapist.

Wisła BF will play three matches on Saturday and one on Sunday. All information regarding the upcoming tournament can be found on the official profiles of the section and Blind Football Poland, the tournament organizer.

All we can do is keep our fingers crossed for a full set of victories! Go, Go, Go!