A wordy title to today’s article, but it feels like the January transfer window has really swung into action and the return of European club competition this week has also provided a talking point here or there.
Starting as I mean to go on, let’s tackle the confirmed transfers of the last seven days. Jakub Moder heading to Feyenoord was already well advanced when I penned the last missive on this website, and was confirmed by the Rotterdam club at the outset of this week.
I’m really pleased that Moder has decided to take what some would say is a step down in his career by leaving England. It’s all well and good being a Premier League player, but there is little point in that status if you’re not actually playing games in said league. So far this season Moder was little more than a cup player for Brighton, and we saw the detrimental effect that was having during Poland’s internationals this autumn.
Feyenoord are a strong team domestically and have pulled off a series of strong Champions League results, just this past week smashing Bayern Munich 3-0. They are confirmed to advance in Europe, when you imagine Moder might then have a chance to be registered.
It’s interesting how Feyenoord have a bit of history with Polish players either developing or restarting their careers, perhaps the two most high profile being Jerzy Dudek and Sebastian Szymański. You imagine Moder will get a lot more playing time for the rest of this season now he is in Holland, and hopefully Poland can reap the rewards during the next international break in March.
Tackling the next big move, we see a return to Greece for Karol Świderski as he joins Panathinaikos (and compatriot Bartłomiej Drągowski). Funnily enough there are similarities when it comes to Moder’s transfer to Feyenoord in terms of Panathinaikos having Polish connections; Krzysztof Warzycha remains their record goalscorer and arguably greatest player in the club’s history.
Świderski had long spoken about wanting to return to European football after having spent a couple of years in the MLS with Charlotte. Personally I felt his loan move to Hellas Verona last season was fine but not earth-shattering, and a supposed return to the Italian side was on the cards this January.
However, he elected to play once again in Greece, where he previously played for PAOK. Świderski will be looking to recapture some of his best form back in a familiar league, especially given that his national team performances haven’t been the greatest this last year.
Also headed to Greece on an initial loan is Mateusz Wieteska, joining the aforementioned PAOK. A buyout clause is included in the deal, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the move did become permanent.
Wieteska has suffered from not playing regularly at Cagliari, and this is a move that makes a great deal of sense. There is no question that Wieteska is a capable defender, and represents a good option for Michał Probierz to have in the national team should he recapture the kind of form that made him a standout in Ligue 1 with Clermont.
Finally on the transfer front, Tomasz Włodarczyk has today reported that Mateusz Bogusz will sign his contract with Mexican team Cruz Azul. This move had developed complications, but it now looks as though it will proceed as planned.
To me, Bogusz moving to Mexico is a little odd as it doesn’t represent a massive step up from the MLS in my albeit slightly more limited knowledge of Liga MX. There is no doubt however that Bogusz is a talented forward and will likely fit in well at Cruz Azul, as on the few occasions when I have watched Liga MX it does rank highly in terms of attacking flair.
As for action on the pitch, Robert Lewandowski and Wojciech Szczęsny played their parts in an undoubted Champions League classic, with Barcelona beating Benfica 5-4 in Lisbon on Tuesday night. A truly bizarre and entertaining game, Szczęsny was not at his best being culpable for at least two of the four Benfica goals.
Szczęsny managed to take out his own left back Alejandro Balde and minutes later Benfica forward Kerem Akturkoglou to concede first a comical goal thanks to his failed effort to sweep and then a penalty. Admittedly the penalty was somewhat harsh, given that Akturkoglou appeared to jump over Szczęsny before going down when he lost control of the ball, but nonetheless it was not the finest half of football in Szczęsny’s career.
In the interests of fairness, Szczęsny did play well in the second half, pulling off a few big saves. As he rightly pointed out afterwards, mistakes do happen and mistakes as a goalkeeper are often the most costly, but the important thing is that the team wins the game regardless.
Barcelona did of course win the game regardless, in no small part to the penalty taking heroics up the other end of Lewandowski. Despite Barcelona’s wobbly form these past few months, Lewandowski remains the leading goalscorer in both the Champions League and La Liga. Thanks to the two penalties converted by Lewandowski, he has overtaken Lionel Messi and is tied with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most spot-kicks scored in Champions League history.
Elsewhere in the Champions League this week, Jakub Kiwior helped Arsenal to a clean sheet over Dinamo Zagreb and Piotr Zieliński played a small role in Inter Milan’s win over Sparta Prague.
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