Sports Mole previews Friday’s Euro Champ Qualifying clash between Poland and Czech Republic, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Poland welcome Czech Republic to Warsaw for a crucial Euro 2024 qualifier in Group E on Friday.
The hosts must win to have any chance of progression in what is their final group game, while the Czechs can seal qualification if they win and Moldova drop points against Albania.
Match preview
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In the most fascinating group across Euro 2024 qualifying, there is a scenario where all four sides can still progress going into the final matchday next Monday.
Anything but a win for Poland and they will be eliminated because of their inferior head-to-head against the Czechs, but should Michal Probierz‘s side win and Moldova also see off Albania, just two points will separate the four nations ahead of the final set of matches.
A draw here could also be potentially fatal for the Czechs too, as they would then need a result against Moldova to make sure of a top-two spot.
The permutations are seemingly endless in Group E, especially regarding Czechia and Moldova as they still have to face each other, while Poland’s and Albania’s tasks are much more straightforward.
Nevertheless, despite both still being in the running to qualify, it has been an embarrassing campaign for both of these sides, and especially Poland, who no matter what happens, will not have their fate in their own hands.
There was some excitement when Poland managed to convince Portugal’s Euro 2016 winning manager Fernando Santos to take over for the start of this qualifying campaign, but within five matches he had been sacked.
After defeats away in Czechia, Moldova and Albania, Poland had just six points before October’s internationals, when Probierz moved up from the Under-21s to take charge of the senior side, but his appointment has not had the desired effect.
Poland struggled past 10-man Faroe Islands in Probierz’s first match in charge, before they were held to a 1-1 draw at home with Moldova in their last outing, meaning a remarkable set of results would need to transpire for them to qualify automatically now.
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Things have not been much better for Jaroslav Silhavy‘s side, who were quarter-finalists in the last European Championships just two years ago.
With just three wins in their last 11 competitive matches – two of which were against the Faroes – confidence is not particularly high for a side that must get a result to ease the pressure on themselves before a clash with Moldova next week.
A poor showing in the most recent Nations League campaign too means the Czechs have won just one away fixture since fans returned to stadiums in 2021 – against the Faroes in June.
Despite a very underwhelming campaign, Silhavy’s side are still huge favourites to progress automatically, helped largely to Poland’s implosion.
Last month’s internationals provided very little for the Czech faithful to get excited about though, as they needed a late Tomas Soucek penalty to see off the Faroes, just three days after being thrashed 3-0 in Tirana.
Poland Euro Champ Qualifying form:
Poland form (all competitions):
Czech Republic Euro Champ Qualifying form:
Czech Republic form (all competitions):
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Team News
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Aston Villa’s Matty Cash was dropped by Probierz for the Moldova match last month, and he has withdrawn from the squad here despite returning from injury at the weekend.
Fellow defender Sebastian Walukiewicz is also absent with injury, while his Empoli team mate Bartosz Bereszynski has been dropped.
Along with the right-back, Arkadiusz Milik and Jakub Kamiski have also surprisingly been omitted from the squad for their final fixture in the group, but Robert Lewandowski is back in the fold after missing October’s matches with injury.
Patryk Dziczek and Adrian Benedyczak are also late pull-outs with injury, while Kamil Piatkowski remains a long-term absentee.
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Czechia will be without their goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka and Sparta Prague captain Ladislav Krejci due to injury for their final two qualifiers.
Ales Mandous is set to come into the side in goal in Pavlenka’s place, while there could be a debut for highly-fancied 20-year-old Martin Vitik – who is club mates with Krejci at club level – in defence.
Mojmir Chytil is back from suspension following his red card against Albania, and is one of a few promising young attacking options for Silhavy, along with Adam Hlozek and Tomas Cvancara, joining the more experienced pair of Vaclav Cerny and Jan Kuchta.
Hlozek’s Bayer Leverkusen team mate Patrik Schick remains absent as persistent injuries means he has not featured at all during the qualifying campaign.
Poland possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Kedziora, Peda, Kiwior; Frankowski, Wszolek, Zielinski, S Szymanski, Zalewski; Swiderski, Lewandowski
Czech Republic possible starting lineup:
Mandous; Coufal, Holes, Vitik, Jurasek; Soucek, M Sadilek; Cerny, Lingr, Hlozek; Cvancara
We say: Poland 1-2 Czech Republic
A defeat here for the Czechs would make their final qualifier against Moldova an incredibly nervy encounter, so Silhavy will be desperate to see his side get a result here.
Poland have to go all out for the win, but they have been hapless all through the campaign, and their chances may end here, while the visitors will be hoping for a huge favour from Albania.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.