Bednarek parts ways with Lech

The saved penalty kick in the decisive clash with Charleroi (2:1) in the 2020 Europa League qualifiers, and a few other impressive interventions are what come to mind when one thinks of Filip Bednarek. The 5 years spent at Lech Poznań were full of positive memories for the goalkeeper. In the 2022/2023 season, he reached the quarterfinals of the Europa Conference League. Back then, he was the starting keeper, and he even saved a penalty kick in the group phase clash with Austria Wien (4:1).

The experienced Pole has two Polish Championships to his account. In the 2021/2022 season, he appeared in 20 games and in nearly half of them, he kept a clean sheet. In the recent campaign, he was a substitute, but always ready and eager to help the team the best he could. Moreover, he offered tremendous support for Bartosz Mrozek, who ended up being chosen as the best goalkeeper of the 2024/2025 season.

“The hero doesn’t wear a cape,” said Radosław Murawski during the Championship celebrations. Although Filip might not have appeared on the pitch recently, he was a key figure in Lech’s dressing room; one of its leaders.

“These five years were like a good TV show, but the ending itself is truly out of a fairy tale. The way I have been appreciated by the people from the club, and those connected to it – that is, the fans - has exceeded all my expectations. It’s extremely uplifting and shows that despite not playing for the past two years, I have left some mark on the club. In the end, this value stays behind – we are footballers for a short while, but humans for our whole lives. There are ups and downs on the pitch, but if it weren’t for the latter, the triumphs wouldn’t taste as good. This last season was a great show. We demonstrated that we are an unbreakable group, and we emphasised it with a beautiful seal. I am happy to have played a part. Bartek was named the best keeper of the season; I had to put my ego and goals aside for the good of the club. It’s great to be inspired, but also equally amazing to be an inspiration,” emphasised Filip Bednarek.

In total, the Polish goalkeeper made 108 appearances for Lech, including 70 PKO BP Ekstraklasa games. He won two Polish Championship titles and was a part of the squad that advanced to the historic quarterfinals of the Europa Conference League. On Saturday, following the clash with Piast Gliwice (1:0), the fans said farewell to Bednarek. On Monday, before leaving for the Ekstraklasa Gala, the players and the club said an official goodbye to the keeper.

Filip, thank you for playing for Lech and for always leaving your heart on and off the pitch. Good luck with your career and remember: you will always be a part of the Lech Poznań family!