Cork start their Champions League campaign with tough opener against Legia

Cork City boss John Caulfield knows his side a “massive underdogs” when they will return to Champions League action for the first time since the 2006/07 season when they welcome Polish Champions Legia Warsaw tomorrow night.

With Turners Cross a sell-out, despite the added attraction of a FIFA World Cup semi-final between France and Belgium on TV, City will hope to at least keep the tie open heading to the Polish Army Stadium in a week’s time. 

The Champions currently lie second in the SSE Airtricity League, 4 points off leaders Dundalk, and come into this game on the back of a 0-0 draw with Shamrock Rovers on Friday night which sees City remain unbeaten at the Cross this season. It’s something Caulfield wants to see continue, “We are looking for any advantage that we can take. Like I keep saying we are massive underdogs but we are all looking forward to the game. It’s great for our supporters to see players who will move the ball a lot quicker to our own league.”

Legia Warsaw, 13 time Ekstraklasa winners, are yet to kick off their season in Poland but come into the game in great form having played 4 friendlies, winning three and drawing one, scoring 13 goals in the process.

Caulfield knows the pedigree this Polish side have, “They (Legia) are a formidable outfit, it’s fantastic for a club like us to go and play a club like Legia who are a massive club. It’s an honour for us to play them. They are the biggest club this club has played since Bayern Munich.”

City captain Conor McCormack can’t wait for the game to start. He said, “I’m absolutely delighted to be leading City out as captain on a Champions League night. As a player you want be playing in these big games and we are really looking forward to this game as a team.”

“Its going be tough, it going be really hot as well. We will try to pick our chances and hopefully we can take our chances and we will see where that leaves us.”

Garry Buckley, Mark McNulty, Colm Horgan, Alan Bennett, Graham Cummins and Steven Beattie have all had knocks and are being assessed ahead of the game.

Referee Radu Petrescu of Romania will take charge of the game tomorrow night.

Referee: Radu Petrescu (Romania)