Lech Poznan face a crucial test on artificial turf in Switzerland tomorrow, playing for a place in the 2026/2027 UEFA Europa League group stage. The club held a one-hour training session on the main pitch of Visana Stadion today at 19:00 to prepare for the clash, as reported by KKSLECH.com. For a team sitting 4th in the Ekstraklasa with 7 points and a +4 goal difference, it's a chance to build on positive momentum.
This year, Lech Poznan have excelled on artificial surfaces, winning both matches without conceding a goal. In February, they beat KuPS Kuopio 2-0 in Finland, and in August they thrashed KÍ Klaksvík 5-0 in the Faroe Islands. That latter victory is the club's biggest ever win on such a pitch. Coaches, however, rarely use these surfaces for training, most often only on the eve of a match.
What is Lech's historical record?
Lech Poznan have a long but mixed history of playing on artificial turf in European cups. Positive memories are linked to Sweden. In 2020, after training on the pitch at Golęcin, the team won 3-0 against Hammarby at the Tele2 Arena. Three years later, also in Stockholm, they repeated the feat by beating Djurgården 3-0.
There have been setbacks, too. In 2022, Lech lost 0-1 to Vikingur Reykjavik, with coach John van den Brom taking a dismissive approach to the conditions. In 2014, on a similar pitch in Reykjavik, they lost 0-1 to Stjarnan, although they created more chances then than in a later visit. Earlier, in 2008, Franciszek Smuda's side lost 1-2 to CSKA Moscow at the famous Luzhniki stadium.
When has training on artificial turf worked?
Rare training sessions on artificial pitches have sometimes paid off. Besides the preparations before the trip to Sweden in 2020, Dariusz Żuraw used the Golęcin pitch before a league match against Śląsk Wrocław in February 2021. In winter, it also happened that Niels Frederiksen's players had to train on the artificial surface because the natural pitch was frozen.
Another example is July 2013, when Mariusz Rumak's squad trained on an old practice pitch behind the third stand at Bułgarska Street. Such preparations didn't always guarantee a good performance, however. In Finland in 2015, Lech had problems controlling the game but still won 3-1 against Honka Espoo.
What is the current form and what's next?
Lech Poznan's current form is solid. In the league, the team is on a WWD run, with A. Sayyadmanesh scoring two of their five season goals. They trail leaders Legia Warszawa by four points. After tomorrow's match in Switzerland, the players' focus will return to the Ekstraklasa and an away fixture against third-placed Cracovia, scheduled for December 12th. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page.
The return to competing on artificial turf in 2026 started with two wins. The club did not train on it before the 5-0 win over KÍ Klaksvík, showing that good results aren't always dependent on special preparation. For fans following club statistics, our stats page may be useful. Success in Switzerland would be a major step towards the Europa League group stage and improving their position in the league standings.
