Braga and Belenenses will both be looking to bounce back from disappointing weekend results as they travel to Slovan Liberec and Lech Poznan respectively.
With the aid of experts on Czech and Polish football, PortuGOAL takes a look at what awaits the Portuguese pair.
Czech football expert, Chris Boothroyd from czefootball.com explains the tough task awaiting Braga in their Group F opener in the Czech Republic tomorrow.
1. Current form. How have Slovan Liberec started the season?
Liberec have started season off by surpassing all expectations. Last season was a rotten campaign, beset with off the field problems and a collective loss of form that saw the club spend the majority of the year fighting for their top flight safety. Their Czech Cup win was the only positive.
Yet over the summer the reset button was pushed; their key players have rediscovered their flair again and they’ve been very astute in the transfer market. But the biggest signing has been that of the unheralded manager Jindrich Trpisovsky who has injected a volt of enthusiasm back into the club. At the moment they’re second in the league, two points off leaders Sparta Prague.
2. Ones to watch - Who are Liberec’s star players?
Their talisman from an attacking point of view is Josef Sural, a creative and goalscoring winger who’s equally capable of playing through the middle who recently made the step up into the Czech Republic squad. Others to keep an eye on would be the resurgent Marek Bakos, who has five in six domestically, captain and midfield workhorse David Pavelka, and Tomas Koubek who was the Czech Republic U21’s first-choice goalkeeper during this summer’s European Championships.
3. Strong points/weak points – what must Braga beware of and what can they exploit?
Braga must not make the mistake of underestimating their Czech opponents. Readers may remember that Liberec defeated Estoril home and away the last time they reached the Group Stages of this competition and knocked out Udinese and FC Zurich en-route.
That said, this is a squad that is inexperienced, especially at this level. Some names do remain such as Sural, Rabusic, Sackey and Pavelka, but the back four is practically brand new, young, raw and not the most physically imposing.
4. Formation and playing style – what system do Liberec usually play? Would you describe them generically as an attacking or a defensive team?
In his short coaching career Trpisovsky* has been bestowed with the moniker of the ‘Czech Klopp’, due to his casual attire and frenetic counter-attacking style of football. He’s lined Liberec up in a 4-2-3-1 with an emphasis on containment and then quick transitions through to the forward line.
Whilst not the biggest, or the most imposing, they are something of a cynical side to play against. They’re willing to commit the fouls to break up attacks to give themselves time to regroup and dig in. In the later games, this could be an issue as suspension build up.
5. What are the expectations of the club and the fans as regards this Europa League Group F?
Given that qualification for this stage was a dream six weeks ago, the Group has been positively received. There’s the chance to draw some relatively big money thanks to the presence of Marseille and with Braga and Groningen, there’s a belief that they could sneak in and finish second – though third is their more realistic target.
6. What do you think the result of the match will be?
Braga will enter the game as favourites, but given Braga’s form, Liberec’s confidence and the work of Trpisovsky so far, I think that Slovan could spring and a surprise and win it 2-1. Though I think a 1-1 draw is more likely.
*note: So far Trpisovsky has two seasons as manager of Viktoria Zizkov as relative experience, and the second of those was whilst the club was falling apart and going bankrupt. Prior to that he coached Zizkov’s semi-professional satellite club in the fourth tier, so he’s something of a prodigy at the moment.
Our thanks to Chris Boothroyd for sharing his expertise. For more from Chris, follow him on Twitter at @czefootball.
Polish football expert and regular PortuGOAL contributor Marcin Ostrowski takes a look at Belenenses first Group I opponents Lech Poznan.
1. Current form. How have Lech Poznan started the season?
Lech started the season terribly. Six losses in their first eight league games would be frustrating for any club, let alone title holders. It’s hard to understand such a bad form, especially given Lech Poznań lost only one starter this summer and brought in some experienced players. Even the necessity to accommodate league play with European games since mid July can’t explain everything.
The press has already noted that in last two decades, since the Polish league introduced 3 points per win, no domestic champion has started next season so badly. Lech can’t even blame a difficult schedule. They already lost to both newcomers and last weekend they were defeated at home by relegation battlers Podbeskidzie.
2. Ones to watch - Who are Lech Poznan’s star players?
Karol Linetty is the one to watch - and a player who is constantly watched by scouts from stronger European leagues. At 20, Linetty has already been capped six times by Poland and many experts say he should be starting for Poland. This central midfielder is responsible defensively and creative and his natural position is a “number eight” - more offensive of two defensive midfielders in a 4-2-3-1. He was close to joining Belgian Club Brugge in this transfer window but finally stayed in Poznań. He may be Lech’s biggest export since Robert Lewandowski.
Kasper Hamalainen is another key player. This Finnish attacking midfielder with 45 caps for his country is constantly crucial for Lech’s offensive game. He is at his best in an attacking trident behind the striker but he has also been tried as a “false nine” during his career in Poland.
3. Strong points/weak points – what must Belenenses beware of and what can they exploit?
It is possible that Belenenses will have great benefit of playing against a much weakened Lech side. After the latest domestic defeat, the board made a clear statement that “the league is more important” and The Railmen have to focus on domestic competition. Prize money from the Europa League has been frozen and will only be transferred to players if they finish the autumn round of the Polish Ekstraklasa in the top 5. Therefore it’s possible we’ll see some new faces on Thursday.
In general Lech’s strongest line is midfield with a good balance of technique and strength, experience and youth. They are vulnerable in defence though, conceding from individual mistakes too often and they lack clinical finisher. On more individual notes, their Scottish left-back Barry Douglas has a wonderful shot from distance. If he plays on Thursday, expect him to be dangerous at free kicks.
4. Formation and playing style – what system do Lech Poznan usually play? Would you describe them generically as an attacking or a defensive team?
Lech usually play 4-2-3-1 with a fluid attacking midfield full of technically gifted players. I mentioned Hamalainen before but the likes of Gajos, Lovrencsics and Pawłowski would be key players at any Polish club. In Poland they play attacking football but their manager Maciej Skorża, who led Legia Warsaw to the Europa League Round of 32 in 2011/12, has enough continental experience to prepare them against the strongest sides. Like most Polish clubs, Lech prefer to counter-attack and we should see more of that in Europe, especially away from home.
5. What are the expectations of the club and the fans as regards this Europa League Group I?
Lech have good traditions in Europa League, advancing from the group stage on two occasions, in 2008/09 and 2010/11. In 2010 they got through a difficult group involving Manchester City and Juventus playing some epic games and making the whole of Poland support them. Coincidentally, they were also in poor domestic form back then. But the crisis has changed expectations and it looks like the Europa League will be bonus. Lech have to improve in the Polish Ekstraklasa first.
6. What do you think the result of the match will be?
Rumours that Lech may not play their strongest line-up on Thursday make me see favourites in Belenenses. It will be a clash of teams who started the new season less convincing than we expected but while Lech has no choice but to focus on league now, The Azuis will be gunning to continue their European success. Lech fans will hope that backup players and young prospects are ready for this test.
One last thing which I guess is worth mentioning: Lech manager Maciej Skorża and his opposite number at Belenenses, Sá Pinto, have already met in the Europa League. In 2011/12 Legia Warsaw, coached by Skorża, played against in-crisis Sporting CP with Sá Pinto at the helm. The Portuguese team advanced but it wasn’t easy after a 2-2 draw in Poland and a 1-0 win for Sporting at the Alvalade.
Marcin Ostrowski is editor of sport.canalplus.pl website. Follow Marcin on Twitter @seixalense.
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