The 2017–18 Ekstraklasa (also known as Lotto Ekstraklasa due to its sponsorship by Totalizator Sportowy, Polish lottery) was the 92nd season of the Polish Football Championship, the 84th season of the highest tier domestic division in the Polish football league system since its establishment in 1927 and the 10th season of the Ekstraklasa under its current title. The league was operated by the Ekstraklasa SA.
The season started on 14 July 2017 and concluded on 20 May 2018. It is the first Ekstraklasa season to use VAR. After the 21st matchday the league went on a winter break between 18 December 2017 and 9 February 2018. The regular season was played as a round-robin tournament. A total of 16 teams participated, 14 of which competed in the league during the 2016–17 season, while the remaining two were promoted from the I liga after the 2016–17 season. The fixtures were announced on 8 June 2017.
Each team played a total of 30 matches, half at home and half away. After the 30th round (in the beginning of April 2018), the league split into two groups: championship round (top eight teams) and relegation round (bottom eight teams). Each team played 7 more games (teams ranked 1-4 and 9-12 played four times at home). So, finally each team played a total of 37 matches. The team at the top of the Championship round wins the league title. The two teams at the bottom of the Relegation round are demoted to I liga for the 2018–19 season. This was the fifth season to take place since the new playoff structure has been introduced.
The defending champions were Legia Warsaw, who won their 12th Polish title the previous season.
Legia successfully defended their title, sealing the league trophy for a 13th time in dramatic circumstances as their deciding game against Lech Poznan was abandoned due to flares and pitch invasions by Lech fans (after Legia went 2-0 ahead). Legia were awarded the tie 3-0 and three points secured 1st place.
Teams Sixteen teams will compete in the league – the top fourteen teams from the previous season, as well as two teams promoted from the I liga. Sandecja Nowy Sącz were promoted to the Ekstraklasa for the first time. Górnik Zabrze returned to Ekstraklasa after a one-year absence.
Stadiums and locations Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Venue Capacity Arka Gdynia Gdynia Stadion Miejski 15,139 Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza Nieciecza Stadion Termaliki 4,653 Cracovia Kraków Stadion im. Józefa Piłsudskiego 15,016 Górnik Zabrze Zabrze Stadion im. Ernesta Pohla 24,413 Jagiellonia Białystok Białystok Stadion Miejski 22,432 Korona Kielce Kielce Kolporter Arena 15,550 Lech Poznań Poznań INEA Stadion 43,269 Lechia Gdańsk Gdańsk Stadion Energa Gdańsk 43,615 Legia Warsaw Warsaw Stadion Wojska Polskiego 31,800 Piast Gliwice Gliwice Arena Gliwice 10,037 Pogoń Szczecin Szczecin Stadion im. Floriana Krygiera 18,027 Sandecja Nowy Sącz Nieciecza Stadion Termaliki 4,653 Śląsk Wrocław Wrocław Stadion Wrocław 42,771 Wisła Kraków Kraków Stadion im. Henryka Reymana 33,326 Wisła Płock Płock Stadion im. Kazimierza Górskiego 12,800 Zagłębie Lubin Lubin Stadion Zagłębia 16,068 Sandecja Nowy Sącz will play their home games in Nieciecza until their home ground (Stadion im. Ojca Władysława Augustynka) fulfills license requirements. Upgrading to 31,871.
Arka Termalica Cracovia Górnik Zabrze Jagiellonia Korona Stadion GOSiR Stadion Bruk-Bet Stadion im. Józefa Piłsudskiego Stadion im. Ernesta Pohla Stadion Jagiellonii Kolporter Arena Capacity: 15,139 Capacity: 4,666 Capacity: 15,016 Capacity: 24,413 Capacity: 22,432 Capacity: 15,550 Lech Lechia INEA Stadion Stadion Energa Gdańsk Capacity: 43,269 Capacity: 43,615 Legia Piast Stadion Wojska Polskiego Arena Gliwice Capacity: 31,800 Capacity: 10,037 Pogoń Sandecja Śląsk Wisła Kraków Wisła Płock Zagłębie Stadion im. Floriana Krygiera Stadion Bruk-Bet Stadion Wrocław Stadion im. Henryka Reymana Stadion im. Kazimierza Górskiego Stadion Zagłębia Capacity: 18,027 Capacity: 4,666 Capacity: 42,771 Capacity: 33,326 Capacity: 12,800 Capacity: 16,068
Personnel and kits Team Chairman Head coach Captain Manufacturer Sponsors Arka Gdynia Wojciech Pertkiewicz Leszek Ojrzyński Krzysztof Sobieraj Adidas Gdynia Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza Danuta Witkowska Jacek Zieliński Łukasz Piątek Adidas Bruk-Bet Cracovia Janusz Filipiak Michał Probierz Miroslav Čovilo Puma Comarch Górnik Zabrze Bartosz Sarnowski Marcin Brosz Szymon Matuszek Adidas Allianz Jagiellonia Białystok Cezary Kulesza Ireneusz Mamrot Rafał Grzyb Erreà STS Korona Kielce Krzysztof Zając Gino Lettieri Radek Dejmek Puma Lewiatan Lech Poznań Karol Klimczak Rafał Ulatowski Maciej Gajos Nike Aforti Lechia Gdańsk Adam Mandziara Piotr Stokowiec Sebastian Mila New Balance Energa Legia Warsaw Dariusz Mioduski Dean Klafurić Miroslav Radović Adidas Fortuna Piast Gliwice Paweł Żelem Waldemar Fornalik Gerard Badía Joma Gliwice Pogoń Szczecin Jarosław Mroczek Kosta Runjaić Adam Frączczak Zina Grupa Azoty Sandecja Nowy Sącz Grzegorz Haslik Kazimierz Moskal Dawid Szufryn Saller Zakłady Mięsne Szubryt Śląsk Wrocław Michał Bobowiec Tadeusz Pawłowski Piotr Celeban Adidas forBET Wisła Kraków Marzena Sarapata Joan Carrillo Arkadiusz Głowacki Adidas LV Bet Wisła Płock Jacek Kruszewski Jerzy Brzęczek Bartłomiej Sielewski Adidas PKN Orlen, Budmat Zagłębie Lubin Robert Sadowski Mariusz Lewandowski Konrad Forenc Nike KGHM
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment Korona Kielce Maciej BartoszekMutual consent 4 June 2017Pre-season Gino Lettieri 1 July 2017 Pogoń Szczecin Kazimierz MoskalEnd of contract 30 June 2017 Maciej Skorża 1 July 2017 Jagiellonia Białystok Michał ProbierzMutual consent 4 June 2017 Ireneusz Mamrot 12 June 2017 Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza Marcin WęglewskiBecame assistant 13 June 2017 Mariusz Rumak 13 June 2017 Cracovia Jacek ZielińskiMutual consent 19 June 2017 Michał Probierz 21 June 2017 Wisła Płock Marcin KaczmarekMutual consent 5 July 2017 Jerzy Brzęczek 11 July 2017 Legia Warsaw Jacek MagieraSacked 13 September 2017 5th Romeo Jozak 13 September 2017 Piast Gliwice Dariusz WdowczykSacked 19 September 2017 14th Waldemar Fornalik 19 September 2017 Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza Mariusz RumakSacked 19 September 2017 16th Maciej Bartoszek 20 September 2017 Lechia Gdańsk Piotr NowakTaking over as sports director 27 September 2017 12th Adam Owen 27 September 2017 Pogoń Szczecin Maciej SkorżaSacked 30 October 2017 16th Rafał Janas (interim) 30 October 2017 Pogoń Szczecin Rafał JanasCaretaking spell over 6 November 2017 16th Kosta Runjaić 6 November 2017 Zagłębie Lubin Piotr StokowiecSacked 27 November 2017 8th Mariusz Lewandowski 28 November 2017 Wisła Kraków Kiko RamírezSacked 10 December 2017 8th Joan Carrillo 1 January 2018 Sandecja Nowy Sącz Radosław MroczkowskiSacked 10 December 2017 14th Kazimierz Moskal 19 December 2017 Śląsk Wrocław Jan UrbanSacked 19 February 2018 10th Tadeusz Pawłowski 19 February 2018 Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza Maciej BartoszekSacked 20 February 2018 15th Jacek Zieliński 20 February 2018 Lechia Gdańsk Adam OwenSacked 3 March 2018 12th Piotr Stokowiec 5 March 2018 Legia Warsaw Romeo JozakSacked 14 April 2018 3rd Dean Klafurić 14 April 2018 Lech Poznań Nenad BjelicaSacked 10 May 2018 3rd Rafał Ulatowski (interim) 10 May 2018
Regular season
League table
Positions by round
Results
Play-offs
Championship round
League table
Positions by round
Results
Relegation round
League table
Positions by round
Results
Season statistics
Top goalscorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 CarlitosWisła Kraków242 Igor AnguloGórnik Zabrze233 Krzysztof PiątekCracovia214 Christian GytkjærLech Poznań19 Marcin RobakŚląsk Wrocław6 Marco PaixãoLechia Gdańsk16 Jakub ŚwierczokZagłębie Lubin8 Adam FrączczakPogoń Szczecin149 Jarosław NiezgodaLegia Warsaw1310 Damian KądziorGórnik Zabrze10 Flávio PaixãoLechia Gdańsk Arkadiusz PiechŚląsk Wrocław Mateusz SzwochArka Gdynia
Top assists RankPlayerClubAssists1 Rafał KurzawaGórnik Zabrze172 Nika KacharavaKorona Kielce8 Giorgi MerebashviliWisła Płock4 CarlitosWisła Kraków7 Fiodor ČernychJagiellonia Białystok Dominik FurmanWisła Płock Javi HernándezCracovia Darko JevtićLech Poznań Semir ŠtilićWisła Płock Łukasz WolsztyńskiGórnik Zabrze
Hat-tricks Player Club Match Result Date Matchday Igor Angulo Górnik Zabrze Górnik Zabrze - Wisła Kraków 3–2 3. Igor Angulo Górnik Zabrze Górnik Zabrze - Wisła Płock 4–0 7. Jakub Świerczok Zagłębie Lubin Zagłębie Lubin - Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza 4–2 18. Jakub Świerczok Zagłębie Lubin Pogoń Szczecin - Zagłębie Lubin 3–3 19. Christian Gytkjær Lech Poznań Lech Poznań - Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza 3–1 21. Kasper Hämäläinen Legia Warsaw Legia Warsaw - Śląsk Wrocław 4–1 23. Carlitos Wisła Kraków Wisła Kraków - Śląsk Wrocław 3–1 27. Christian Gytkjær Lech Poznań Wisła Kraków - Lech Poznań 1–3 29. Krzysztof Piątek Cracovia Cracovia - Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza 4–2 33. Adam Frączczak Pogoń Szczecin Cracovia - Pogoń Szczecin 1–4 37.
Attendances
Awards Monthly awards
Player of the Month MonthPlayerClubJuly 2017 Igor AnguloGórnik ZabrzeAugust 2017 Igor AnguloGórnik ZabrzeSeptember 2017 Marcin RobakŚląsk WrocławOctober 2017 CarlitosWisła KrakówNovember 2017 Igor AnguloGórnik ZabrzeDecember 2017 Jakub ŚwierczokZagłębie LubinFebruary 2018 Martin PospíšilJagiellonia BiałystokMarch 2018 Christian GytkjærLech PoznańApril 2018 Krzysztof PiątekCracoviaMay 2018 Adam FrączczakPogoń Szczecin
Coach of the Month MonthCoachClubJuly 2017 Marcin BroszGórnik ZabrzeAugust 2017 Piotr StokowiecZagłębie LubinSeptember 2017 Jerzy BrzęczekWisła PłockOctober 2017 Gino LettieriKorona KielceNovember 2017 Gino LettieriKorona KielceDecember 2017 Jerzy BrzęczekWisła PłockFebruary 2018 Ireneusz MamrotJagiellonia BiałystokMarch 2018 Nenad BjelicaLech PoznańApril 2018 Jerzy BrzęczekWisła PłockMay 2018 Dean KlafurićLegia Warsaw
Annual awards AwardPlayerClubPlayer of the Season CarlitosWisła KrakówGoalkeeper of the Season Arkadiusz MalarzLegia WarsawDefender of the Season Michał HelikCracoviaMidfielder of the Season Rafał KurzawaGórnik ZabrzeForward of the Season CarlitosWisła KrakówCoach of the Season Marcin BroszGórnik ZabrzeTop Scorer of the season CarlitosWisła KrakówDiscovery of the season Szymon ŻurkowskiGórnik ZabrzeTurbokozak Sebastian MilaLechia Gdańsk Team of the SeasonGoalkeeper Tomasz Loska (Górnik Zabrze)Defenders Robert Gumny (Lech Poznań) Michał Helik (Cracovia) Rafał Janicki (Wisła Kraków) Rafał Kurzawa (Górnik Zabrze)Midfielders Szymon Żurkowski (Górnik Zabrze) Taras Romanczuk (Jagiellonia Białystok) Jacek Góralski (Jagiellonia Białystok)Forwards Carlitos (Wisła Kraków) Igor Angulo (Górnik Zabrze) Krzysztof Piątek (Cracovia)
See also 2017–18 I liga 2017–18 Polish Cup
References
External links
Ekstraklasa at uefa.com