In just over 2 weeks, the knockout phase of the 2018/19 season will begin. Who is most likely to make it into the top eight? What is the current form of the teams and who is leading the table?

Although HK Finance is currently at the top of the table, defending champion CityFit will take the lead in the event of a win this week. A full set of points will practically guarantee the CityFit team the first place after the regular season, as HK Finance has already played all their matches in this part of the competition. The two teams recently met in a direct match. After a fierce battle, the match ended in a 4-4 draw, which confirmed the ambitions of HK Finance, who, although they have always been at the top of the league, are still waiting for their first championship.

HK Finance and CityFit teams in action in the top match.

– When it comes to the form of the HK Finance team, the rule is simple – poor before VAT, good after VAT. We are very happy with the level of the leaders, because it promises a fascinating fight for medals. This season, there has been an increase in the level of many teams, who caused surprises in the second half of the competition, taking points away from teams from the top of the table. This is a good omen for the next seasons, close matches increase the attractiveness of the games, making them more interesting and triggering more emotions – says Jakub Piotrowski, captain of the HK Finance team.

Third place in the table is occupied by PwC, who previously won bronze medals, narrowly losing their semi-finals. The team reacted perfectly to the rather unexpected – although there is no sensational here – defeat in the match against Bayer, by beating the revelation of the competition, i.e. the Olivia Business Centre team.

The Olivia Business Centre team is playing its best season and has already secured promotion to the quarter-finals. A few minimal defeats against title contenders could prove to be valuable experience before the most important games. Unfortunately, the team will go into the competition weakened by the absence of one of their best players, Mateusz Szczeciński, who will not return to action until the end of the year due to an injury sustained during the match. Matthew, cheers!

Olivia Business Centre vs PwC.

For the last four places in the semi-finals, it promises to be an exciting battle until the very end. The teams of thyssenkrupp, Lechia Gdańsk Foundation, Bayer, Dream Team Indestructible Energa and CCC still have a chance to advance. It is worth noting that FLG and CCC still have 3 games to play, which may turn out to be a big advantage.

– The form of our team is getting better and better. A few stumbles at the beginning of the season didn’t destroy our belief in getting into the top eight. CCC has its first, historic chance to qualify for the top eight and that goal is the most important thing for us now. After a couple of wins against very strong teams, we showed that we can win against anyone. We are looking forward to the next match – says Patrick Czapski from CCC.

Pass to the striker between the defenders in the penalty area!

The teams of Staples, Ricoh, AirHelp, Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Civil Engineers, Arrow Electronics, Energa Obrót, Pomerania Development Agency and Fujifilm no longer have a chance to advance. Admittedly, the debutants from AirHelp remained in the game for a long time, while injuries and several defeats in a row meant that the dreams of promotion had to be postponed for a year. The series of draws, on the other hand, turned out to be a series of lost points for Energa Obrót, which has been playing in the league since its inception. It’s also worth noting the progress that Staples is making from season to season.

In the 2018/19 season, there are a record 17 teams in the league. League matches are played on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the evenings on a covered pitch with artificial turf at ul. Haller in Gdansk.

– Olivia Sports competitions are becoming more and more attractive every year. I have a very good opinion of the changes introduced by the organizer over the last two seasons, in particular the game with a ball intended for futsal and the withdrawal of players associated in professional leagues from the competition – says Marcin Burakiewicz, captain of the Staples team.

Update after matches from 22-23.05:

Before the last games of the group stage, we already know almost all the quarter-finalists. These are CityFit, HK Finance, PwC, Lechia Gdańsk Foundation, Olivia Business Centre, thyssenkrupp, Dream Team Indestructibles Energa. The last place rewarded with promotion is currently occupied by Bayer, which is 2 points ahead of CCC. And it is these two teams that still count in the fight for the quarter-finals – as Bayer has already played all its matches, a victory in the last round over Energa Obrót will allow CCC to be in the top eight. No knockout stage pair is also yet known – here everything will be decided in the last series of games. CityFit is the closest seed to No. 1, but PwC remains in the game.

Results, table and fixtures >>

author: Pawel Pinker