HNK Hajduk Split plays the decisive UEFA Europa Conference League play-off match against Raków Częstochowa on Thursday at 19:00. The winner of this tie secures a place in the group stage of the European competition, with Hajduk entering the match following a 2-2 draw at Poljud. As reported by Index.hr Sport, the Whites will have unexpected support in Poland due to a long-standing friendship with fans of Górnik Zabrze. The club currently sits 4th in the HNL with 7 points from 4 games, and faces a home match against Lokomotiva on Sunday.
What will fan support look like in Częstochowa?
Raków Częstochowa will play their most important match of the season without supporters in their main stand. UEFA's Appeals Commission activated a conditional disciplinary measure from April 22nd, resulting in a partial stadium closure. Sectors B1 to B7 are closed due to the use of pyrotechnics in the match against Swedish side Hammarby on August 6th. The club also received a fine of 60,000 euros and an additional closure of the same sectors for the next match. This forced Raków to make organizational changes.
The Polish club announced that organized groups of children under 14 will be placed in the punished B stand. "Season ticket holders for stand B can buy tickets for stand C," states the club's official announcement. Organized cheering has been moved to sectors C12 and C13, while sectors C1 and C2, originally intended for the club's Academy, are now open to fans. These changes significantly alter the atmosphere that will accompany the match.
What is the story behind the Torcida Split and Torcida Gornik friendship?
Hajduk fans will not be entirely alone on the 1100-kilometer road separating Split and Zabrze. The friendship between Torcida Split and Torcida Gornik has lasted for ten years. The Polish fan group was founded in 1999, modeled precisely on the Split Torcida, the oldest European fan group founded in 1950. The friendship was officially confirmed by a charter on February 20, 2016, in Zabrze.
Already in March of the same year, about two hundred Górnik fans cheered for Hajduk during a derby against Dinamo. Hajduk fans returned the visit on March 24, 2018, for a friendly match marking Górnik's 70th anniversary. It is very likely that the two Torcidas will once again be together in the stands in Częstochowa, although a logistical problem exists. Hajduk's away match in Poland starts at 19:00, while Górnik plays their Conference League play-off match against Monaco fifteen minutes earlier. Some Górnik fans will certainly be in the stands in the Principality, but a well-organized group of Hajduk fans is still expected to receive support from their Polish friends.
How is Hajduk entering this crucial match?
HNK Hajduk Split comes into this match with some momentum in the domestic league. In the HNL, they have scored 9 goals and conceded 5, giving them a +4 goal difference. The team's top scorer is Marko Livaja with 3 goals in 4 appearances. The Whites are only 2 points behind leaders Dinamo Zagreb, showing they are in solid form at home. You can follow the full season statistics on our stats page.
A victory in Poland would see Hajduk qualify for the Europa Conference League group stage, representing a major success for the club. It would also provide additional momentum ahead of the home match against Lokomotiva on Sunday, which you can find in our fixtures schedule. The club's current position in the HNL table can always be checked on the standings page. The match against Raków represents a direct path to European spring for the Split club.
