
José Maria Bakero will look to take KKS Lech Poznań through to the UEFA Europa League round of 32 with a victory at home against Juventus, who need to end a run of four straight draws in Group A.
• Victory guarantees Lech a place in the last 32, while anything but a win – or high-scoring draw (3-3 or more) – would mean Juventus require an FC Salzburg success at Manchester City FC in the section's other game.
Previous meetings
• The sides met for the first time on Matchday 1, when Juventus fought back from two goals down to lead 3-2, only for Artem Rudņevs to complete his hat-trick in added time and secure a 3-3 draw for the Polish champions.
• Juventus are unbeaten in eight games against Polish sides since losing 3-1 at RTS Widzew Łódź on 22 October 1980; future Juve star Zbigniew Boniek turned out for Widzew in both legs of that UEFA Cup second round tie, scoring in the decider as his side lost 3-1 but prevailed on penalties.
• Juve's record in nine games against Polish clubs reads W6 D2 L1 (W2 D1 L1 in Poland).
• Lech's only meeting with Italian opposition prior to Matchday 1 ended in a 4-3 aggregate defeat by Udinese Calcio in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup round of 32; they drew 2-2 at home, but lost 2-1 at the Friuli stadium.
Match background
• Lech are unbeaten in their three European home games – a UEFA Europa League play-off draw and two wins by two-goal margins in the group stage. However, including two games in UEFA Champions League qualifying, they failed to find the target in their first three European home fixtures this season.
• Juventus are unbeaten in eight European games this season, but have followed up four wins in qualifying with draws in all four of their Group A games. They have won two and drawn two of their four away games this season.
Team facts
• Juventus are the most experienced club in the group stage; their Matchday 4 game against Salzburg was their 350th in UEFA competition.
• Lech have committed the most fouls in the competition: 78.
• Lech announced the departure of coach Jacek Zieliński on the eve of their Matchday 4 game against City, with former FC Barcelona midfielder Bakero named as his replacement. The 47-year-old, once a player and a coach at Real Sociedad de Fútbol, saved KSP Polonia Warszawa from relegation last season. Zieliński led Lech to their first Polish title in 17 years in 2009/10.
• Juventus coach Luigi Delneri represented the likes of Udinese and UC Sampdoria as a player, with the highlights of his long coaching career including marshalling AS Roma in the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League, leading US Città di Palermo to the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage and finishing fourth in Serie A with Sampdoria last season. He took over at Juve in the summer.
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