The 2024/25 season by Raków Częstochowa is a story of a great comeback, an ambitious fight for the championship and a bitter taste of defeat at the last minute. Under the leadership of coach Marek Papszun, who returned after a year's break, the Częstochowa team finished the PKO BP Ekstraklasa in second place, scoring 69 points - just one less than the Polish champion, Lech Poznań. Raków confirmed its strength, especially in defense, conceding only 23 goals, making it the most solid defense line in the league.
Raków entered the season with high expectations, but the beginning of the season did not suggest a title fight. After the first seven rounds, the team had collected only 11 out of 21 possible points, ranking seventh. The lack of stability and effectiveness in attack meant that fans began to doubt a return to the championship form of the 2022/23 season.
In the Polish Cup, Raków suffered a surprising defeat in the first round, losing in a penalty shootout to first-league Miedź Legnica. This setback was one of the biggest disappointments of the season, especially in the context of the club's previous successes in this competition (victories in 2021 and 2022).
The breakthrough came in mid-September, when Raków beat Legia Warsaw away 1-0. This victory started an impressive series of 12 matches without defeat, including an impressive 5-1 with Zagłębie Lubin. By the end of the calendar year, the Częstochowa team had climbed to second place in the table, drawing 2-2 with Motor Lublin in the last match.
Spring began with a breathless start. A 0:0 draw with Cracovia and a sensational 1:2 defeat by newcomer GKS Katowice caused the gap to the leader Lea Poznań to grow dangerously. However, Raków quickly recovered, recording a series of six consecutive victories, including key wins with Lech (1:0), Piast Gliwice (3:0) and Legia Warsaw (3:2). These results allowed Papszun's team to jump into the leader's seat in March, giving real hope for the second Polish championship title in the club's history. Unfortunately, key stumbles at the end of the season - a loss to Jagiellonia Białystok and a draw with Korona Kielce - allowed Lech to overtake Raków at the finish line. Ultimately, the Częstochowa team ended the season as vice-champions, with a minimal point deficit to the leader.
In the 2024/25 season, Raków relied on an excellent defense and several individuals who shone on the Ekstraklasa pitches. Young goalkeeper Kacper Trelowski became a pillar of the team, notching 17 clean sheets and winning the title of the youth player of the season at the 2025 Ekstraklasa Gala, although in the fight for the award for the best goalkeeper he had to admit the superiority of Bartosz Mrozek from Lech Poznań. Defenders Milan Arsenić and Stratos Svarnas formed the foundation of the tightest defense in the league, conceding only 23 goals, and their stability and effectiveness in defensive play allowed Raków to stay at the top for most of the season. In the midfield, the leader was Ivi López, whose creativity and vision of the game, despite fewer goals than in the 2021/22 season, remained key to the team's offensive actions.
Marek Papszun's return to the coaching bench proved to be a bull's eye. His charisma and tactical discipline allowed Rakow to return to the fight for the highest goals after a disappointing seventh place in the 2023/24 season. An impressive series of matches without a defeat showed that the team has great potential, but the lack of stability in key moments - especially in spring - was decisive in losing the championship.
In terms of the future, Raków faces the challenge of retaining key players and strengthening the squad, especially in attack. Failure to qualify for European cups may affect the club's finances, but Crnac's record transfer gives hope for further investments. The construction of a new stadium, although still distant, remains in t