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Legia Warsaw defender Michal Pazdan (pictured here with Cristiano Ronaldo) represented Poland at Euro 2016. EMPICS Sport

'When I was younger, all my friends wanted to come to Ireland to work'

Legia Warsaw defender Mikel Pazdan and manager Besnik Hasi have been speaking about the Champions League play-off first leg with Dundalk.

LEGIA WARSAW ARE hoping Ireland’s Polish contingent come out in their numbers for the Champions League play-off in Dublin.

They take on Dundalk in the first leg on Wednesday and defender Mikel Pazdan, who lined out for Poland at the Euro 2016 this summer, spoke briefly on Tuesday about people he knew leaving his homeland to start a new life on these shores.

“When I was younger, all my friends wanted to come to Ireland to work,” the centre-back said. “So I hope that they are all here and they attend tomorrow’s game.”

Manager Besnik Hasi added: ”I hope that a lot of Polish people come, because I hear that the national coach of Ireland is calling on fans to fill the stadium.

“I heard that there are a lot of colonies of Polish people living here. If you are Polish, you should come to support a Polish team so hopefully there will be many at the game.”

The former Anderlecht boss admits that he was satisfied with being paired with the Lilywhites, but added that the BATE Borisov result caught his attention.

“The moment we drew Dundalk, we were happy,” he said. “I think Dundalk were also happy with the draw, because we were the smallest team on the other side.

If a team has beaten BATE here 3-0, then they gain my respect.

“All of Ireland is behind them, so it is dangerous to think we are better than them. We need to show that on the pitch tomorrow.

“We are prepared and in the last two games we showed we are thinking only about this game.”

Legia have been beaten in their previous two matches — a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Gornik Leczna followed on from a 3-2 loss to second division Gornik Zabrze in the cup.

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‘There are buses coming from different villages in Ireland. We’ve players from throughout the country’

Dundalk handed major boost ahead of Champions League showdown in Dublin

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    Mute martintim
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    Mar 13th 2015, 7:47 AM

    Aul Pele talks a lot of shi*#e most of the time in fairness

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    Mute Don Draper
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    Mar 13th 2015, 6:25 AM

    Dementia must be setting in

    79
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    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
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    Mar 13th 2015, 10:13 AM

    Pele before the 1994 World Cup: ‘Watch Columbia’(They were on the first plane home), ‘An African Nation will win the world cup before the end of the century(Not sure he realised there was only one more world cup between 1994 and the end of the century)

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    Mute Gearóid Daly
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    Mar 13th 2015, 7:13 AM

    Marodona is better than pele. No reason

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    Mute Mark Noonan
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    Mar 13th 2015, 7:19 AM

    Who did marodona play with?

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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    Mar 14th 2015, 11:57 AM

    Sligo rovers?

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    Mute foxyfonz
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    Mar 13th 2015, 9:34 AM

    In 1994 he said Norway would win the World cup.

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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    Mar 14th 2015, 12:03 PM

    When we all know it was north Korea. They’ve won every one before, and every one after. Our dear leader said so.

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    Mute Sergeant Yates
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    Mar 13th 2015, 8:28 AM

    Go Home Pele you’re drunk.

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    Mute Robert O Farrell
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    Mar 13th 2015, 9:16 AM

    Yes he’s an icon for his playing ability but no one takes any notice of what this fella says. He never makes any sense. Neymar is becoming world class and should become a great player. But he will never even touch the levels of brilliance Messi hits on a bad day.

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    Mute Masterofgamz
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    Mar 13th 2015, 8:20 AM

    Ronaldo is better

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    Mute pjm
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    Mar 13th 2015, 11:38 AM

    Pele is a clown, he seems to think that you cannot be judged as the greatest if you don’t win the World Cup, even though it only comes around every four years and most players aren’t fortunate enough to be born German or Brazilian. The man is just clutching at straws, the greatest show on earth is the Champions League but that bitter old fool just can’t accept it because he never played club football out of the Americas.

    Maradona was better than Pele anyway but surely now Messi and Ronaldo deserve their place at the very top of the greatest footballers ever.

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    Mute Cathal O'Donoghue
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    Mar 13th 2015, 11:01 AM

    Can’t help wondering whether the great man actually watched the World Cup. Messi had some great moments while ronaldo was a petulant child on the greatest stage. I know he was injured but his attitude was awful.

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    Mute Narf Sinktaw
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    Mar 13th 2015, 8:16 AM

    Nasser Al Shamrani well be best player this year

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    Mute Kieran Fogarty
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    Mar 13th 2015, 10:28 AM

    He also said that Emre would become one of the best players in the world.

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    Mute Jb Sonam
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    Mar 13th 2015, 1:21 PM

    Messi is king of football and father of penaldo
    …..

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    Mute Genesis
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    Mar 13th 2015, 12:53 PM

    That relic is still hanging around??

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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    Mar 14th 2015, 12:01 PM

    I don’t think it’s right to say “Ronaldo is better than Messi” or visa versa. They are both amazing players. Two of the best to ever grace the game. To say one is better than the other is nuts. They are two different types of brilliant.

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    Mute Micheál Seamus Xavie
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    Mar 13th 2015, 8:17 PM

    Pele would want to shut the F up

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    Mute Patrick Shields
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    Mar 14th 2015, 1:49 AM

    He had El Hadji Diouf in his top 100 as well

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