Poland refuses to play the World Cup playoff against Russia

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Lewandowski: “We can’t pretend that nothing is happening”

MADRID, Feb. 26 (Royals Blue) –

The president of the Polish Football Federation (PZPN), Cezary Kulesza, announced this Saturday that the Polish team will not play the play-off tie for the Qatar 2022 World Cup against Russia, a decision that internationals such as striker Robert Lewandowski have supported. .

“No more words, it’s time to act! Due to the escalation of Russian aggression towards Ukraine, the Polish team does not intend to play the play-off match against Russia. This is the only correct decision. We are in talks with the federations Sweden and the Czech Republic to present a common position to FIFA,” confirmed Kulesza on the social network Twitter.

Poland and Russia must play the semifinals of the play-off for the World Cup on March 24, and the winner will have to face later, on March 29, the winner of the cross between Sweden and the Czech Republic to find out who will be in Qatar.

Following Kulesza’s words, several Polish internationals supported his decision. “It’s the right decision! I can’t imagine playing a match with the Russian team in a situation where armed aggression continues in Ukraine. Russian footballers and fans are not responsible for this, but we can’t pretend it’s not happening.” nothing,” Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski explained on Twitter.

Midfielder Mateusz Klich also claimed that the internationals had decided “together” that they would not face Russia. “It is not an easy decision, but there are more important things in life than football. Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian nation and with our friend from the national team Tomasz Kedziora, who is still in Kiev with his family,” he explained.

Several sports have already canceled or relocated championships outside of Russia, with Formula 1 or the final of the soccer ‘Champions’, after the Russian offensive began in Ukraine on Wednesday.