Bartosz Ślusarski previews Lech Poznań Sunderland match
Lech Poznań enters its next Europa League fixture against Sunderland without a single point or goal scored, having conceded eight goals across two losses. Sports analyst Bartosz Ślusarski told Przegląd Sportowy that while the current results suggest a gap in quality, the club is capable of winning the upcoming match despite facing an opponent from the English league.
The struggle for the Polish champions has been immediate and severe. Back-to-back 0-4 defeats to Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen have sparked a debate over whether the Europa League represents a level of competition too high for the current squad. The disparity in player quality becomes evident when the team transitions from the Polish Ekstraklasa to European competition, where minor errors are punished instantly.
Lech’s tactical approach has been a point of contention. While an aggressive, offensive style yields results in domestic play, it has left the defense exposed in Europe. Ślusarski noted that in both previous matches, a single mistake leading to a 0-1 deficit caused the team’s structure to collapse entirely.
Tactical shifts for the Sunderland match
Optimism for the Sunderland game rests on potential changes to the starting lineup and a shift toward pragmatism. Sunderland currently holds six points after two matches, placing them at the opposite end of the standings from Lech.
The return of Radosław Murawski is expected to provide necessary stability. Murawski was absent from the previous match due to a red card suspension. His ability to secure the midfield is viewed as critical, especially since other players, such as Antoni Kozubal, perform better when the team is dominating possession rather than defending for the majority of the game.
There is also pressure on coach Niels Frederiksen to reintegrate Pablo Rodriguez into the starting eleven. Rodriguez has been one of the team’s strongest performers in the Ekstraklasa, including a standout performance against Korona. His recent absence from the starting lineup was reportedly a disciplinary measure, though the specific details of the incident remain unconfirmed.
Injuries force reliance on inconsistent defensive pairing
The injury to Wojciech Mońka has forced a reliance on the central defensive pairing of Mateusz Skrzypczak and Terry Yegbe. This pairing has drawn criticism from observers, though Ślusarski defends Skrzypczak as a high-quality defender who has been plagued by bad luck.
Terry Yegbe’s form is more volatile. After a strong start to the season that won over the supporters, his consistency has dropped. The defense’s inability to maintain composure under pressure has made the team vulnerable to the high-tempo attacks typical of the English game.
The struggle for offensive production
Mikael Ishak, the team’s primary attacking threat, has struggled to find the net in European play. While he recently broke a scoring drought in the Ekstraklasa against Korona, his inability to convert chances against Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen has frustrated the fanbase.
The lack of a viable alternative to Ishak remains a systemic problem for Lech. Yannick Agnero, for whom the club paid over 2 million euros a year ago, has not yet established himself as a reliable offensive leader. At 23 years old, Agnero is still viewed as a developing player, but Ślusarski argued that the club cannot wait indefinitely for him to take responsibility for the attack.
The current offensive drought is compounded by the absence of the injured Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, further limiting the options available to Frederiksen.
Comparative performance in European tiers
The difficulty Lech is facing highlights a perceived gap between the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League. Polish clubs have historically found more success in the Conference League, whereas the Europa League has appeared increasingly inaccessible.
Despite these numbers, the belief remains that this is the best iteration of Lech in the club’s history. The gap between them and elite sides like Bayer Leverkusen is described not as a chasm, but as a clear difference in quality that can be managed with a more secure, pragmatic tactical setup.
Lech Poznań now faces a match where a draw would be considered a positive step toward stabilization, though the club’s objective remains a first victory in the competition.
The club's current trajectory shows the brutal efficiency of Europe's top leagues; a single defensive lapse in Poznań can lead to a four-goal deficit in minutes.