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Football: Poland in training ahead of Euro 2024 qualifiers

22.03.2023 12:00
Poland’s national soccer team is stepping up training ahead of its upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Albania, according to news reports.
Poland players during a training session in Warsaw on Wednesday ahead of the teams upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Albania.
Poland players during a training session in Warsaw on Wednesday ahead of the team's upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Albania.Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański

Poland play their first Euro 2024 qualifier against the Czech Republic in Prague on Friday.

Three days later the Poles will take on Albania in their next qualifying fixture in Warsaw.

The Polish team on Monday started a training camp in Warsaw in preparation for these two matches.

Poland's Portuguese manager Fernando Santos last week released a list of 25 players called up for the two games.

Poland boss Fernando Santos Poland boss Fernando Santos. Photo: PAP/Piotr Nowak

Since then several players, including defenders Bartosz Bereszyński and Kamil Piątkowski, have succumbed to injuries.

Meanwhile, Panathinaikos left-back Tymoteusz Puchacz and Lech Poznań centre-back Bartosz Salamon have been called up as replacements, Polish state news agency PAP reported

The squad named by Santos to face the Czech Republic and Albania includes Barcelona star striker Robert Lewandowski and other regulars such as Napoli midfielder Piotr Zieliński and Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash.

Fresh faces include Ben Lederman, a US-born midfielder who plays for Polish club Raków Częstochowa.

In addition to the Czech Republic and Albania, Poland will also play the Faroe Islands and Moldova in qualifiers for the Euro 2024 football championships in Germany.

Euro 2024 qualifiers will be played between March and November this year, with the top two teams from each group qualifying directly for the championships.

The Euro 2024 tournament will be held from June 14 to July 14, 2024 in 10 cities in Germany, with the final played at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

Russia has been banned from competing in Euro 2024 over its invasion of Ukraine.

Portugal's Santos took over as Poland manager in January.

Poland failed to get past the group stage at the postponed Euro 2020 tournament, where they suffered a defeat to Slovakia before drawing with Spain and losing the decisive game against Sweden.

The Polish team made it through to the quarterfinals of the Euro 2016 championships in France, losing to Portugal on penalties.

EURO 2024 qualifying groups

Group A: Spain, Scotland, Norway, Georgia, Cyprus

Group B: Netherlands, France, Republic of Ireland, Greece, Gibraltar

Group C: Italy, England, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Malta

Group D: Croatia, Wales, Armenia, Turkey, Latvia

Group E: Poland, Czech Republic, Albania, Faroe Islands, Moldova

Group F: Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Estonia

Group G: Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Lithuania

Group H: Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland, San Marino

Group I: Switzerland, Israel, Romania, Kosovo, Belarus, Andorra

Group J: Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Liechtenstein

(gs)

Source: PAP, TVP Info, laczynaspilka.pl