Raków postpones match and gains advantage ahead of Hajduk clash
The Polish club took advantage of an Ekstraklasa allowance to secure a full week of rest before the return leg, while Hajduk cannot do the same due to HNL rules.
The Polish club took advantage of an Ekstraklasa allowance to secure a full week of rest before the return leg, while Hajduk cannot do the same due to HNL rules.
Polish side Raków Częstochowa has made a move that gives them a significant advantage ahead of their Conference League play-off clash with Hajduk. By taking advantage of Polish Ekstraklasa rules, they postponed their league match against Górnik Zabrze, securing a full week for rest and preparation for the return leg, as reported by Telegram.hr on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
The Ekstraklasa allows clubs competing in UEFA play-offs to postpone matches that fall between two European fixtures. Raków used this option without hesitation, moving the Górnik game to September 3, according to Net.hr. After the first leg in Split, the Polish players will be free from domestic league duties until the return match scheduled for August 27.
This is not the first time the Częstochowa side has used this tactic during the current European season. They applied the same strategy in the third qualifying round to better prepare for their tie against Swedish side Hammarby. This approach clearly indicates that reaching the Conference League group stage is the club's top priority, with all domestic matches taking a back seat.
On the other hand, Hajduk finds itself in a much tougher spot, as HNL regulations no longer allow postponing league matches due to European commitments. The Split side will play a league match against Osijek just three days after the first leg against Raków at Poljud.
Under Croatian rules, Hajduk could only request moving the match from Sunday to Monday, but that would reduce their preparation time and travel for the return leg in Poland, so they will not use that option. The Split side faces a grueling schedule: the first leg at Poljud, then a derby with Osijek on Sunday, followed by a trip to Poland for the decisive return leg on August 27.
Raków coach Dawid Kroczek previewed the first leg at Poljud, where his team arrived on Wednesday evening. The Poles enter European ties with plenty of confidence despite a poor start in the domestic league: they have lost all three Ekstraklasa matches and sit at the bottom without a single point, while in Europe they have eliminated Valletta and Hammarby, not conceding a goal against the Swedes in two matches. Kroczek stated at the press conference that he respects Hajduk, but his team knows exactly what to expect. "We have great respect for a very demanding opponent, but we are very well prepared for this match," he said. When asked about Hajduk's impressive form at Poljud this season, he replied: "We'll see. Similar things were said before the Hammarby match, and we showed what we can do."
Additional attention was drawn to the decision regarding Marko Bulat. The former Dinamo midfielder will not be available for the tie, as Raków removed him from the UEFA list and registered Abraham Oju instead. Polish media earlier reported that Bulat has been training with the second team, and Kroczek briefly confirmed at Poljud: "For sporting reasons, he is not in the squad." He declined to answer further questions about the Croatian midfielder, repeating only that he had said everything.
