Motor Lublin have announced the signing of Portuguese winger Rony Lopes, a former Manchester City and AS Monaco player. According to reports from futbol.pl, the 30-year-old has signed a two-year contract running until mid-2028. The Lublin club currently sits 15th in the Ekstraklasa with five points from six matches, trailing leaders Legia Warszawa by seven points.

Who is Rony Lopes?

Rony Lopes joined Motor as a free agent after his contract with CD Tondela expired. Futbol.pl reports that the Brazilian-born Portuguese international played 18 matches for that club, scoring four goals. His earlier career included spells in Europe's top leagues. Lopes made a total of 185 appearances in French Ligue 1, scoring 36 goals and providing 23 assists while playing for Lille OSC and AS Monaco.

The player also had stints at Sevilla, Olympiacos, and SC Braga. He earned two caps for the Portuguese national team, debuting in November 2017 in a friendly against the United States. His signature for Motor was confirmed by the club's official X account on September 1, 2026, with the caption "These are your colors!". The full squad details can be checked on our squad page.

What happened in the defeat to Piast Gliwice?

Motor Lublin lost 2-0 at home to Piast Gliwice, managing just one shot on target throughout the match. Przegląd Sportowy Onet highlights this as a deserved defeat in front of their own fans. Motor manager Mariusz Misiura lost for the fourth time in his career to a team coached by Daniel Myśliwiec.

Both managers previously competed against each other in Poland's second division, earning promotion to the top flight in different seasons. Myśliwiec won the 2021/22 title with Stal Rzeszów, while Misiura achieved promotion a year later with Znicz Pruszków. In Saturday's match, Piast proved more effective despite having a squad valued lower by Transfermarkt. Motor has currently scored six goals and conceded ten in the league.

Why are the new signings underperforming?

According to analysis from Przegląd Sportowy Onet, Motor Lublin's summer reinforcements have so far disappointed. Goalkeeper Mihai Popa lost his starting place after uncertain performances, while defender Tin Plavotić mainly serves as a backup. Bartosz Bereszyński, a 59-cap Polish international, is making basic errors, and Mateusz Łęgowski hasn't shown greater effectiveness than players who left in the summer.

Club owner Zbigniew Jakubas insisted the summer rebuild would strengthen the team after the previous two seasons. The club achieved its historical best seventh-place finish in the Ekstraklasa two years ago. Current problems are reflected in the LDWLL form from their last five matches. The current league standings can be followed on the standings page.

When is Motor's next fixture?

Motor Lublin will face Widzew Łódź at home on December 12, 2026. Their opponent currently occupies 13th position in the league table. Before this match, the team will want to improve both their offensive and defensive efficiency. The schedule for all upcoming fixtures is available in the fixtures section.

Rony Lopes will have the chance to make his debut in the new colors during upcoming training sessions. His contract does not contain an extension clause.