Poland starts spring offensive

Busy break
The Ekstraklasa's winter break has been a long one but in the midst of it there was plenty of activity among the top-flight clubs. Now, with 13 more rounds of matches to go until the end of the season, the title race and relegation battle are both hotting up.

Legia kick-off
Third-placed Legia Warszawa, Polish champions in 2001/02, will get proceedings under way tonight as they take on MKS Odra Wodzislaw Slaski. Serbo-Montenegrin striker Stanko Svitlica, last season's top scorer in Poland, left Legia for Hannover 96 during the winter, to be replaced by SPN Widzew Lódz's Piotr Wlodarczyk. He could make his Legia debut against Odra - one of a number of struggling sides to have made wholesale changes to their squads during the winter.

Possible takeover
Legia's hopes of a late title surge have been further boosted by the strong prospect of being taken over by wealthy media company ITI, which has been paying the bills at the club recently. Such a move, should it happen, would see Legia join Wisla Kraków, KS Amica Wronki and Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski as one of the best-organised clubs in Poland.

Wisla signings
League leaders Wisla have been busy too, signing six players during the winter as they aim to retain the title they won last season. Polish internationals Tomasz Klos, Mariusz Kukielka and Jacek Kowalczyk are all now in the Wisla squad.

Uche to return
Wisla have also welcomed back Nigerian Kalu Uche after a six-month suspension. The player had outraged his club by demanding a transfer to AFC Ajax and refusing to train, but he has now apologised, saying: "I hope my team-mates, coaches and supporters will forgive me. I will give my best for Wisla."

Groclin moves
All of which is bad news for Groclin, Amica and Legia, who are hoping to knock the Krakow side off the top of the table. Groclin's good run in the UEFA Cup saw striker Andrzej Niedzielan earn a move abroad to NEC Nijmegen during the winter, but the club have brought in seven new players in his place, including experienced Czech defender Radim Sablik and Polish internationals Marcin Nowacki and Adrian Sikora.

Swit newcomers
The most active side in the winter transfer market have been rock-bottom MKS Swit Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, who have effectively signed a whole new team as they aim to get their first win of the season and clamber up the table. They now have a squad of over 30 - huge by Polish standards.

Stadium improvements
However, money has been spent on more than just players over the winter. While they may be struggling in the league, Lech Poznan will be opening a new extension to their stadium to increase the capacity at a club who still average attendances of around 20,000. With Polish football keen to improve facilities, it is a positive sign that Ekstraklasa sides are getting their house in order.

Cold weather
Sadly, new stadiums cannot necessarily prevent the old problem of frozen pitches. Lech were due to restart their season with a trip to Górnik Zabrze this weekend, but the cold weather has already seen the match postponed.