The Polish club Dojlidy Białystok faces a great challenge in the Round of 16 of the 2025/26 ETTU Champions League Men, as they prepare to meet the top-seeded and reigning champions 1. FC Saarbrücken TT on 14 November.
For the Polish side, seeded number 20, this encounter marks one of the biggest matches in their club’s history a chance to test themselves against Europe’s finest.
The German powerhouse 1. FC Saarbrücken TT enters the knockout stage as the overwhelming favourite. The defending champions, winners of the last three editions of the Champions League, travel to Poland with a line-up that reads like a who’s who of world table tennis. Their squad features Olympic and World Champion Zhendong FAN, alongside some of Europe’s best-ranked players: Truls MOREGÅRD (ER 1), Darko JORGIC (ER 4), Patrick FRANZISKA (ER 5), Yuto MURAMATSU (WR 73) and Eduard IONESCU (ER 14).
Dojlidy Białystok, led by team manager Piotr MICHALSKI, approach the match with optimism and unity. Their squad features Hong Kong’s Baldwin CHAN (WR 65) Greece’s Konstantinos ANGELAKIS (ER 98), Poland’s Patryk CHOJNOWSKI (ER 446), Piotr MICHALSKI (ER 526), Piotr CHODORSKI, Pawel PISZCZATOWSKI, Bohdan LINSKYI and Japan’s Kakeru SONE (26).
“This match will be a true celebration of table tennis in our city,” said MICHALSKI. “We expect large crowds at the event. At this level, details and the players’ form on the day make the difference. Our team will do everything possible to surprise a much more decorated opponent, whose lineup includes medalists from almost every major competition in the world.”
He added that the team’s morale is high despite a mixed domestic record.
“Our league results have been varied we lost the last two games, but won the two before that. The atmosphere is good, and everyone is healthy and ready to compete. After our last league match, the players had a week to recover and train. The preparation is complete, and we can’t wait for the match to begin.”
MICHALSKI also praised Piotr CHODORSKI, one of the team’s standout players this season.
“CHODORSKI joined our club this season, and his excellent performance in the group stage was a key factor in our qualification for the Round of 16. He’s definitely a player to watch he plays in a very spectacular style and shows great fighting spirit.”
Currently sitting 9th in the Polish Super League after eight rounds, Dojlidy Białystok are looking to climb higher domestically while using the ETTU Champions League as a springboard for experience and visibility.
“This competition is a great opportunity for the club’s development, allowing us to see how things are organized and played in other places. We fight for every single point until the very end,” MICHALSKI added.
The duel between the ambitious Polish side and the defending champions promises both intensity and spectacle. Dojlidy Białystok hope that home support and determination can help them push the limits.
“Our main goal,” concluded MICHALSKI, “is to fight for victory in every competition we enter and this time, to make our fans proud against one of the best teams in the world.”
