Wisla extend dominance

Wisla Kraków strengthened their dominance of Polish football in 2003/04 with their fourth championship in six years. The successful defence of their title meant 'White Star' have now won the Ekstraklasa nine times in their 98-year-old history.

European disappointment
The season began with huge disappointment as the club bowed out of the UEFA Champions League at the third qualifying round stage against RSC Anderlecht. Their UEFA Cup campaign was not much better - two months later the club were eliminated by Norwegian side Vålerenga Fotball on penalties in the second round.

Winter reinforcements
Henryk Kasperczak's team quickly found their form in the Ekstraklasa though and when the league took its winter break, Wisla were already at the top of the table. The club used the rest to bring in a number of new faces. Polish internationals Tomasz Klos and Mariusz Kukielka, Serbia and Montenegro Under-21 player Nicola Mijajlovic, goalkeeper Radoslaw Majdan and centre-half Jacek Kowalczyk all joined the Kraków club.

Zurawski feat
Wisla dominated the second part of the season, winning eleven of the final 13 games - the other two were both drawn as they retained the championship trophy and Maciej Zurawski scored 20 league goals to top the scoring charts.

Cup double
KKS Lech Poznan had a slow start to the campaign, but finished strongly as they won two cup competitions while securing a mediocre sixth place in the league. Led by their inexperienced 34-year-old coach Czeslaw Michniewicz, the club claimed the Polish Cup with a 2-1 aggregate win over Legia Warszawa and then clinched the Polish Super Cup on penalties against champions Wisla after the game had finished 2-2. Michniewicz has done well since he took the coaching role in September and his cup triumph earned the team a place in the UEFA Cup next season.

Luckless Legia
Polish giants Legia had an unfortunate season, finishing runners-up to Wisla in the league and then losing the Cup final to Lech. Key striker Stanko Svitlica moved to Hannover 96 during the winter break, but his replacement Piotr Wlodarczyk, who was brought in from SPN Widzew Lodz, developed a potent partnership with Marek Saganowski. Dariusz Kubicki's team also had an excellent second half to the season, earning 34 out of a maximum 39 points to collect second place and earn a UEFA Cup birth next season.

Mixed feelings
2002/03 runners-up Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski's promise of championship glory amounted to little as the club with the largest budget in Poland finished in a disappointing fourth and failed to qualify for European competition. But Dusan Radolsky's men had a enjoyable run in the UEFA Cup and defeated Hertha BSC Berlin and Manchester City FC before eventually losing to FC Girondins de Bordeaux in the third round. They were beaten to third place by KS Amica Wronki, who despite earning a UEFA Cup spot, parted company with coach Stefan Majewski at the end of the season. He has since been replaced by 32-year-old Maciej Skorza.

Struggling giants
Former giants Widzew Lódz suffered off-field troubles throughout the season and were relegated after finishing at the foot of the table. 1999/00 champions KS Polonia Warszawa also suffered a fall from grace, but they retained their top-flight status with a 2-0 win at home to Górnik Polkowice in the final game of the season. Lódz were relegated alongside league debutants MKS Swit Nowy Dwor Mazowiecki and Górnik, the latter after they lost the promotion/relegation play-off to the third placed team in the second division KS Cracovia. Cracovia will be joined by second division champions MKS Pogon Szczecin and runners-up MKS Zaglebie Lubin.