Caulfield knows Cork is against for the biggest Euro test since Bayern

It's been a long time since 12 years for Cork City fans to hear the title of the Champions League ringing on Turner & # 39; s Cross.

For manager John Caulfield, tonight's meeting with Legia Warsaw in the first qualifying round of the Champions League echoes another generation, as the magnitude of the task ahead of Cork to outsmart the champions Polish is apparent in a previous battle. Bayern Munich in 1991, when Dave Barry drew against Steffan Effenberg and Cork drew 1-1 at home

"I'll be a little gray after tonight," Caulfield jokes.

But there's no joke about the gigantic task on his side as Legia come to Ireland with a talented team.

Although his two current Polish internationals have not been to Ireland and have received more time after their efforts for the World Cup finals, Legia still has nine internationals in his 19-man squad, not to mention young hopefuls like Sandro Kulenovic, a highly rated Croatian teenager striker and Sebastian Szymanski, another teenager who has almost reached Russia with the Polish senior club.

Legia took the first hurdle in Europe in his last nine European campaigns and was able to win a draw with Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage just two seasons ago, so that's the only thing that's going on. is a very serious club to spread the likes of Cork and enter the group stage. the biggest team, financially, that this club has played, "said Caulfield.

"We played a lot of good teams, Genk and Malmo, but Legia is at a higher level than the other teams at Bayern Munich." If we played at Celtic tonight, no one would give us a Legia Warsaw beat Celtic 6-1 three years ago. This shows the quality that they have.

"It's going to be a tough day, they can leave two Polish internationals at home, if they were playing at Celtic, they probably would not do it, we understand it, but that's why you try to enter the first two or three, to enter Europe to give you this opportunity.

"We know we are against it. You would like to be the first to leave, there is a little more pressure on you at home, in the sense that you would have absolutely no chance if you lost tonight.

"You look at all the positives you can get, but when you weigh all the odds, they're probably 100/1 and we're probably 100/1 to win."

"But at the same time, in football, you know things happen, they can underestimate you and they can not play as well as they can, they can take you for granted and that's what you always hope you give a little chance. "

Tonight's game is a sold-out 6,000 and Caulfield hopes the narrow confines of Turner's Cross could frustrate a Legia team more accustomed to the wide open spaces of their own 32,000 home. 19659005] The Cork goalkeeper however has some calls to make before the kickoff, a doubt with an ankle injury, while Garry Buckley's stitches to a recent head injury will also need to A check-up.

Damien Delaney is av He had a competitive start in his second stint with City but a lack of playing time could see him on the bench

The Croatian coach from Legia, Dean Klafuric, can call on internationals like Adam Hlousek (Czech Republic), Dominik Nagy (Hungary) and Marko Vesovic (Montenegro).

Irish Independent