Poland will play the Faroe Islands away in their sixth Euro 2024 qualifier on Thursday. Three days later the Poles will play Moldova in their next qualifying fixture at the National Stadium in Warsaw.
Poland manager Michał Probierz last Thursday released a list of 25 football players called up for the two games.
The squad named by Probierz to face the Faroe Islands and Moldova includes regulars such as Napoli midfielder Piotr Zieliński, Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, and Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash.
Fresh faces include Lech Poznań striker Filip Marchwiński.
Poland boss Michał Probierz and player Piotr Zieliński during a press conference in Warsaw on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
Meanwhile, Barcelona star striker Robert Lewandowski, who captains Poland’s national football team, will miss the national team’s qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Moldova due to an ankle injury, officials have said.
The 35-year-old, who captains the Polish team and plays for Spanish club Barcelona, picked up the injury during Barcelona's 1-0 win over Porto in the Champions League last Wednesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Poland captain Robert Lewandowski. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
Poland last month lost 0-2 to Albania in their fifth Euro 2024 qualifier in Tirana, leaving fans jittery about the team's chances of qualifying for the European tournament next year.
The Polish team on March 24 opened its Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 1-3 defeat against the Czech Republic. The Poles then beat Albania 1-0 at home in their second qualifier on March 27. Poland in June lost 2-3 to Moldova in their third Euro 2024 qualifier in Chișinău.
Poland beat the Faroe Islands 2-0 in their fourth Euro 2024 qualifier in Warsaw on September 7.
After five rounds of fixtures, Poland are fourth in their qualifying Group E, with six points, ahead of only the Faroe Islands.
Poland are ranked 30th worldwide by football's governing body FIFA, while the Faroe Islands are No. 131 in the FIFA table. Moldova are ranked 159th.
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.
Poland reached the last 16 of last year's World Cup in Qatar before being eliminated by eventual runners-up France.
Probierz took over as Poland manager last month.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP