Legia's Rzeźniczak wants Trabzonspor payback
Sunday, September 28, 2014
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Legia Warszawa's next step to reaching the final in their home city comes at Trabzonspor AŞ and Jakub Rzeźniczak wants revenge for a pair of losses last term.
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With this season's UEFA Europa League final being played in their home city, there are few at Legia Warszawa who are hiding the club's ambition to reach the final – and defender Jakub Rzeźniczak says the side are full of confidence as they seek revenge against Trabzonspor AŞ.
After opening their Group L campaign with a home win against KSC Lokeren OV, Legia travel to Turkey on Thursday bidding to surprise opponents who handed them a pair of 2-0 group stage defeats last term. "We have beaten Lokeren and now have the same plan against Trabzonspor. We go to Turkey to get three points," said a determined Rzeźniczak, who is certain Henning Berg's men have stepped up a level since last season.
"If you compare last year with the current team, you would say we are much more experienced now. Every match in Europe gives a player a lot. Now we know better how to deal with the competition. If people feel Trabzonspor are group favourites I have nothing against that, but I am sure we can surprise them," said the 27-year-old Polish international. "With all respect to Trabzonspor, I hope we can take six points off them. We lost to them twice last year and now want to pay them back. I am sure this campaign will be very different."
With the UEFA Europa League culminating in Warsaw in May, there is extra motivation for the squad to get to a European final for the first time. "It is true that we speak about it – playing the Europa final in our city. It is the club's dream but I don't want to talk too much about it. We have to go step by step. We were not amazing against Lokeren but we won, so the job was done," said right-back Rzeźniczak, in his tenth season with Legia, having made his debut in August 2004. Now, after lifting several trophies domestically, he hopes to help the club break their duck in UEFA competition.
"I have won four Polish Cups and three league titles with Legia," he said. "I have a lot of good memories but hope the best things are still ahead of me. Legia are growing as a club and a team, and sooner or later we will be in the UEFA Champions League – the place where we should be."
