Bartosz Kurek played the last match. PlusLiga underestimated the captain of the national team

Although the matches at the 5th place in PlusLiga had a completely different temperature than those in which the fight is going on for the grand finale, two large brands met on the pitch. ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle versus Asseco Resovia Rzeszów. The first ones not so long ago three times in a row reached for the Champions League Cup (2021-23), and the others also had a European scalp, the second largest validity, i.e. the triumph in the CEV Cup (2024).

ZAKSa beat Asseco Resovia. Symbolic farewell to Bartosz Kurek?

Before the start of the match in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, on Thursday, late afternoon, there were several issues clear. Sporty, ZAKSA had a supply from the first match in the form of a 3: 1 win. So there were two sets won in their area to happiness. However, Kędzierzyn wanted to say goodbye to the fans, not only that winning the pass to the Challenge Cup (read the fifth place in PlusLiga), but also winning the meeting. Both pieces were achieved, although it must be reflected that Asseco Resovia has resisted the hosts.

The match started from 2-0 in sets for Rzeszów residents. Zaksa finally decided to take her fans on a long, five -hundred journey. Getting the last point number 25 in the fourth party and equalizing at 2: 2, actually ended the most important emotions in the match. Symbolically, this point was scored by Captain Bartosz Kurek, blocking one of the best in the season on the Asseco Resovia side, Bartosz Bednorz.

Symbolically, because for “Kurasia” is a farewell to ZAKSA. In four sets he scored 22 points, being the best scoring player of his team. What’s more, in the first clash in Rzeszów it was the captain of the Polish team and the Polish national team that MVP was elected. Kurek gathered the most of all volleyballers playing in PlusLiga – we are talking about the state of April 25 this year – as many as nine.

This result can be appreciated, the more that “Kuraś” played only in 24 matches of the season. What’s more, if you count those actually played in full -time, this number would be even smaller. Kurek suffered a dangerous injury at the beginning of the season, in the queue of the opening game, in PGE Project Warsaw. It was September 14, and only on November 9, the attacker Zaksa appeared again on the pitch, passing a short episode in the match against JSW Jastrzębski Węgl.

For the aforementioned 24 matches – Kurek in twelve recorded over 20 points scored. Of course, the percentage of effectiveness should be added here, and the average is high, 54.2 percent. The volleyball player from 1988 was calculated years before he got to PlusLiga. However, as the final settlement shows, his critics should enter the table and unwind at least the fact that they sent the captain of the national team for premature retirement.

In the whole story, it’s even a pity that at the end of the last (i.e. 2024), the volleyball player himself admitted in the Zero channel, talking to Krzysztof Stanowski that he would not stay in Kędzierzyn-Koźle. In the former Mostostal-Azota “Kuraś” he played at the beginning of his club career in 2005-08. It was therefore a really interesting story related to returning to Poland and taking up the challenge of rebuilding a strong team in Kędzierzyn-Koźle. The fifth place and development of the team seems to be pouring a solid foundation to the next stages of construction with coach Andrea Gianni. There is nothing to hide, here Kurek added his, regardless of the earlier declaration of parting.

PlusLiga underestimated the captain of the Polish national team enough

Will the attacker stay in PlusLiga? It’s unlikely. During the season there were signals about interest from e.g. Indykpol AZS Olsztyn. However, it seems even by reading between the poems of the club president that it is more a sphere of dreams than the real chances of “meeting” – mainly financial – with such a player. Format, I will continue to insist, world.

Kurek is a value that cannot be calculated in subsequent places after decimal in the content of the bank transfer. Volleyball legend, not only in the national edition. This is not a laurel, but a indicator, looking even through the prism of all the successes that the volleyball player has.

Therefore, if “Kuraś” goes to Japan again, he will remain unsatisfied with PlusLiga and the lack of an idea to develop such a character. In total, not only we are talking about a club from Kędzierzyn-Koźle. The character of Wilfredo Leon in the ranks of Bogdanka Luk Lublin can be a perfect example here. Since such a player appeared in PlusLiga, a Lublin club – with a lot of help from sponsors – he had to reach deep into his pocket. But in return he received something extra.

Kurek did not succeed in Poland again. Earlier return is an organizational defeat at the Szczecin Shipyard, later slightly sweetened with a silver medal for Warsaw volleyball. To this day, PGE Project volleyballers have not beat that achievement, then their predecessor called Onico. This time it ended in fifth place with ZAKSA. A bit in the shade, though still with a sports class.

Well. It seems that this character deserved something more. So human.