Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Poland could line up for Sunday’s Euro 2024 clash with the Netherlands.
Starting their Euro 2024 campaign with a tough test against the Netherlands, Poland meet their opening Group D opponents in Hamburg on Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles recovered from a shaky route through qualification to triumph in the playoffs and win two recent friendlies, but head coach Michal Probierz now has some major attacking woes to resolve.
Captain and all-time top scorer Robert Lewandowski has been ruled out until at least next week with a thigh problem, while his deputy Arkadiusz Milik withdrew from the initial squad due to a knee injury – the latest in a long line of fitness problems for the Juventus striker.
Some improvisation will therefore be necessary in the final third, where either Adam Buksa or ex-AC Milan man Krzysztof Piatek would provide a traditional centre-forward service; alternatively, the versatile Karol Swiderski could play as a roaming ‘false nine’.
At the other end of the pitch, Probierz has no such worries, as vastly experienced goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny starts behind a back three featuring Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior.
Set to join Serie A champions Inter Milan from Napoli on a free transfer, Piotr Zielinski is the Poles’ main man in midfield, and another Italy based player, Roma’s Nicola Zalewski, should line up on the left flank.
Alongside Zielinski, Fenerbahce schemer Sebastian Szymanski is Poland’s most creative presence, and he is expected to play a supporting role for whoever is ultimately selected up front.
Poland possible starting lineup: Szczesny; Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Kiwior; Slisz; Frankowski, Zielinski, Piotrowski, Szymanski, Zalewski; Swiderski
> Click here to see how the Netherlands could line up for this contest
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