LEGNICA, POLAND – MARCH 27: Max Murphy of Republic of Ireland competes with Michal Karbownik of Poland during UEFA Under-17 Championship Elite Round Group 3 match between Poland and Republic of Ireland on March 27, 2018 in Legnica, Poland. (Photo by Pawel Andrachiewicz/PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images)
Early Career:
Michał Karbownik is a native the Polish city of Radom, a city situated just south of the capital of Warsaw. The player started his career with GKS Zorza Kowala in 2011, which is a team located not far from Radom itself.
He started his playing career in his natural position at central midfield. It only took him a year to prove himself at youth level for Zorza and earn his first move to UKS Młodzik 18 Radom.
He played for the Radom based club from 2012 to 2015, when scouts from Legia Warszawa quickly picked up on his talent and snapped him up into their own youth system. While with Legia’s youth setup, the player made appearances in the Centralna Liga Juniorow, the 3 Liga and the UEFA Youth league.
Between 2017 and 2019, Karbownik made 65 appearances at youth level, assisting 3 times in the process. Karbownik made his senior debut in 2019 and never looked back, putting up 6 assists from his defensive position on the field.
The question is, how does a central midfielder end up playing on the left side of the defense? It was strange twist of fate that brought Karbownik to the fore of Legia’s back line.
The club were well and truly out of option in the position when starting left back Ivan Obradović picked up an injury that allowed Karbownik to be tested in the new role by manager Aleksandar Vuković. Vuković has applauded Karbownik’s transition, even going as far as to say that in time, “half of Europe will be fighting for his signature.”
Micha%c5%82 Karbownik</a> is one that has generated an immense amount of excitement. Karbownik, who currently plies his trade for Polish capital side Legia Warszawa, is a rather versatile player capable of being deployed in either the centre of midfield or in the left-back position.</p>
<p>Despite his age, Karbownik has shown maturity and skill that have been rewarded by Legia in the form of minutes on the pitch. The young Pole has amassed a total of 19 appearances for the club (17 starts), which emphasizes the club’s trust in his skills, despite his relative inexperience at the top level of the game.</p>
<p>Let’s take a look at the player, where he comes from, and what makes him such a highly-rated talent.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Early Career </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-480692" src=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F938755564.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/938755564.jpeg 3200w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/938755564-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">LEGNICA, POLAND – MARCH 27: Max Murphy of Republic of Ireland competes with Michal Karbownik of Poland during UEFA Under-17 Championship Elite Round Group 3 match between Poland and Republic of Ireland on March 27, 2018 in Legnica, Poland. (Photo by Pawel Andrachiewicz/PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3><strong>Early Career</strong>:</h3>
<p>Michał Karbownik is a native the Polish city of Radom, a city situated just south of the capital of Warsaw. The player started his career with GKS Zorza Kowala in 2011, which is a team located not far from Radom itself.</p>
<p>He started his playing career in his natural position at central midfield. It only took him a year to prove himself at youth level for Zorza and earn his first move to UKS Młodzik 18 Radom.</p>
<p>He played for the Radom based club from 2012 to 2015, when scouts from Legia Warszawa quickly picked up on his talent and snapped him up into their own youth system. While with Legia’s youth setup, the player made appearances in the Centralna Liga Juniorow, the 3 Liga and the UEFA Youth league.</p>
<p>Between 2017 and 2019, Karbownik made 65 appearances at youth level, assisting 3 times in the process. Karbownik made his senior debut in 2019 and never looked back, putting up 6 assists from his defensive position on the field.</p>
<p>The question is, how does a central midfielder end up playing on the left side of the defense? It was strange twist of fate that brought Karbownik to the fore of Legia’s back line.</p>
<p>The club were well and truly out of option in the position when starting left back Ivan Obradović picked up an injury that allowed Karbownik to be tested in the new role by manager <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://fbref.com/en/players/30933988/Aleksandar-Vukovic?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Aleksandar Vuković</a>. Vuković has <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc5YeIMD9zI&t=189s%22>applauded Karbownik’s transition</a>, even going as far as to say that in time, “half of Europe will be fighting for his signature.”</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Playstyle </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-480694" src=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1841,w_1589/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F938755448.jpeg" alt="" width="1589" height="1841" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/938755448.jpeg 1589w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/938755448-768x890.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1589px) 100vw, 1589px"><p class="wp-caption-text">LEGNICA, POLAND – MARCH 27: Michal Karbownik of Poland in action during UEFA Under-17 Championship Elite Round Group 3 match between Poland and Republic of Ireland on March 27, 2018 in Legnica, Poland. (Photo by Pawel Andrachiewicz/PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3><strong>Playstyle</strong>:</h3>
<p>Karbownik’s playstyle is very much derived from his time spent playing in his most comfortable position, in that of an 8, which he has played for most of his youth career as well as during his stints with the Polish National team’s youth setup.</p>
<p>His current positioning in defense at Legia however hasn’t disturbed his progress. Karbownik has seamlessly translated the silky smooth moves needed to play at the heart of the midfield and made them exemplary assets in his new role.</p>
<p>One of the many things Karbownik is lauded for by his manager and fellow teammates is his ability to keep the ball extremely close to his feet. This, coupled with his ability to take players on makes him the perfect asset out wide to get into tight spaces and provide key passes to his teammates.</p>
<p>As of the current season, Karbownik <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://legia.com/pilka-nozna/pko-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik-najcelniej-podajacym-polakiem-w-rozgrywkach/8770/">leads the Ekstraklasa in terms of pass accuracy</a>, which is an impressive statistic to hold for a player at such a young age. Janusz Partyka, who writes for Legia’s main website lauds the youngster’s “clockwork precision passing”; a level of precision and accuracy that has no doubt lent itself to ensuring Legia’s place atop the table. According to statistics from this season, Karbownik averages<a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://medium.com/@darylgouilard/michał-karbowniks-2019-20-season-scout-report-41d02e8c7417"> 54.09 passes per game</a>, with an accuracy of 79.55%.</p>
<p>Karbownik is also no slouch on the creative end of things, averaging 0.68 chances created and 1.36 key passes per game. His assist statistics, as we’ve mentioned, stand at 6 in the league so far.</p>
<p>These sorts of stats, combined with a propensity to read the direction of passes and ability to put in an aggressive shift when necessary really make him a well-rounded player that suits the left-back position perfectly. The anticipation he possesses along with his natural ability will likely make him a nightmare for teams to play against for years to come.</p>
<p>What impresses me most about Karbownik is not his dribbling, passing, or ball control, however. While all of these are important assets and skill sets to have, the sheer composure it takes for a player to switch positions so seamlessly speaks volumes of his maturity and ability to read the game.</p>
<p>It is not every day that a player is taken from the heart of midfield where their job is to be a creator or metronome on the pitch for their team, to a more defensive and wide role, where your job now takes on an entirely new form; stopping opposition players from having opportunities on goal and stifling the creativity you yourself at one point were centrally responsible for.</p>
<p>In a way, I feel Karbownik’s time in midfield has lends itself to his ability to defend, because he already knows all the tricks to look out for.</p>
<p>In an interview with <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://legia.com/pilka-nozna/michal-karbownik-nie-chce-byc-wylacznie-„rekordem”/8806/">Przemyslaw Gołaszewski for Legia’s website, Karbownik was asked, “How is it possible that such a serious and calm person changes into such a brave fighter on the pitch?” Karbownik’s answer was very telling, with the young player stating that:</p>
<p><em>“I think it’s a very good trait. This is the beautiful thing about football, you don’t have to be a beast off the football pitch to show it on the pitch. I definitely prefer to show my skills on the pitch, rather than to ‘shine’ somewhere beyond the stadium.”</em> – Michal Karbownik</p>
<p>Karbownik’s ability to handle the limelight at such a tender age is also a nice trait his club can be proud of. So many young footballers have been easily led astray by their newfound fame, and this has had devastating impacts on their career.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Transfer speculation </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-480696" src=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2132,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F938765648.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2132" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/938765648.jpeg 3200w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/938765648-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">LEGNICA, POLAND – MARCH 27: Michal Karbownik of Poland passes the ball during UEFA Under-17 Championship Elite Round Group 3 match between Poland and Republic of Ireland on March 27, 2018 in Legnica, Poland. (Photo by Pawel Andrachiewicz/PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3><strong>Transfer speculation: Is Karbownik ready to take the next step?</strong></h3>
<p>Karbownik has undoubtedly shown he has the technical ability, as well as the disposition and discipline to turn into a class player that one day should rightfully find himself in one of the top sides in Europe. The question is, when will that be, and is he ready to make the move now?</p>
<p>The short version of the answer is no. This “no” comes with some caveats however, mainly because while I do believe Karbownik could excel in another league, it’s important to note that he is still a very young player.</p>
<p>In a world where the top teams love to hoard talent, Karbownik would be hard-pressed to move somewhere as a sporadic, third-string player. There’s no rush in my eyes for Karbownik. He has a starting place with Legia, a team that is at the apex of the Polish league.</p>
<p>Having had one good season, Karbownik’s best bet would be to stay an additional season, continue to develop and to prove to potential suitors that his skills are legitimate by improving on the feats he has already shown he his capable of.</p>
<p>Despite this being my opinion, Karbownik has already had quite a few suitors, namely Sevilla, Valencia and Real Sociedad, according to <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://www.estadiodeportivo.com/fichajes/2020/04/18/karbownik-encajaria-laliga-sevilla/275518.html">Estadio Deportivo</em></a>. Widely considered “the biggest Polish prospect in years”, it’s not hard to see why.</p>
<p>While I see Spain as a good fit for the young player due to his playstyle, I also feel Germany would be a good destination for him. If he continues to play in the same vein, I would not be surprised if a team the likes of Borussia Dortmund or RB Leipzig developed an interest in their player.</p>
<p>Both will have a need to replace players who will be leaving in the next season or two, namely Piszczek and Angeliño, who will likely return to Manchester City after his loan spell comes to an end.</p>
<p>Both teams also have a proven track record of turning youth into stars, and Dortmund also have a history of fielding Polish players, something they may choose to do again, either with Karbownik or the likes of <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"http://www.insidefutbol.com/2020/03/31/juventus-and-inter-join-race-for-arsenal-tracked-polish-talent/455598/">Filip Marchwiński</a>, another young talent that is firmly in the sights of <em>Die Schwarzgelben</em>, which shows the German giants are still looking at the Ekstraklasa as a source of talent.</p>
<p>There is also Karbownik’s wish to return to his role in midfield to take into account. While many clubs will be looking at him for the quality he has shown at left back, it may not be the position Karbownik wishes to play his entire career.</p>
<p>In an interview for <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2020/04/27/gems-ekstraklasa-michal-karbownik/2/"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc5YeIMD9zI&t=83s%22>Sport.pl, Karbownik did emphasize his wish to one day return to midfield, as it is the position he began his footballing journey with and is the position he has always been most comfortable in.</p>
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<p>Whatever the case may be, one thing is clear: Legia Warszawa have an immense talent on their hands, and their fans should relish his performances for the club while they can, for Karbownik has the skills to become a major piece in one of Europe’s top tier sides in the years to come.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">