Football: Poland's Legia, Jagiellonia exit UEFA Conference League after historic runs

Polish football champions Jagiellonia Białystok and top-tier rivals Legia Warsaw were both knocked out of the UEFA Conference League on Thursday, but their quarterfinal appearances marked the deepest European runs by any Polish club this century.

Legia Warsaw's Tomas Pekhart scores a penalty against Chelsea in London on Thursday night.

Photo: EPA/TOLGA AKMEN

Jagiellonia drew 1–1 with Spain's Real Betis in the second leg of their quarterfinal tie at home, falling short of overturning a 0-2 defeat from the first leg in Seville on April 10.

Despite the exit, fans celebrated Jagiellonia's historic run, marking the club’s first appearance in the quarterfinals of a European competition, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

Muchas gracias @RealBetis por estos dos partidos, fue un placer visitaros en Sevilla y recibiros en Białystok🫡
Ahora no teneis elección, teneis que ganar la Conference League🤙
Buena suerte✊ pic.twitter.com/MALx62ZGWW

— Jagiellonia Białystok (@Jagiellonia1920) April 17, 2025

Legia, meanwhile, earned a 2–1 win over Chelsea in London on Thursday night but were eliminated on aggregate, having lost the first leg 0-3 in Warsaw.

Legia Warszawa wygrywa z Chelsea w Londynie.

To pierwsze historyczne zwycięstwo polskiej drużyny w Anglii w europejskich pucharach!

Fot. @mat_kostrzewa pic.twitter.com/LwXXzurYf3

— Legia Warszawa (@LegiaWarszawa) April 17, 2025

Jagiellonia and Legia reaching the Conference League quarterfinals marked the deepest run by any Polish teams in European competition this century, the PAP news agency reported.

W Londynie boją się kibiców Legii Warszawa. "Czegoś takiego nie widziałem" #ConferenceLeague #CHELEGhttps://t.co/wJDQhgiP43

— SPORT | PolskieRadio24.pl (@sport_pr24pl) April 17, 2025

This season's Conference League final will be held in Wrocław, southwestern Poland, on May 28.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, TVP Sport