City hope to repeat the dose in Poland
Friday, October 22, 2010
Article summary
Manchester City FC will book their round of 32 place if they repeat their 3-1 Matchday 3 win against KKS Lech Poznań when the pair meet again in Poland.
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KKS Lech Poznań will look to delay Manchester City FC's progress to the UEFA Europa League round of 32 as the sides reconvene in Poland following Matchday 3's 3-1 Group A victory for the Blues in Manchester.
• Should City win, they will be certain of a place in the round of 32.
Previous meetings
• The sides met for the first time on Matchday 3.
• Prior to that, Lech's only previous encounter with English opposition came against Liverpool FC in the 1984/85 European Champion Clubs' Cup first round; they lost 1-0 in Poznan and 4-0 at Anfield.
• Lech also lost both legs against eventual winners Aberdeen FC in the 1982/83 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup second round (2-0 away and 1-0 at home). The Scottish side were managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, current boss of City's cross-town rivals Manchester United FC.
• City's record in nine games against Polish sides reads W4 D4 L1 (W0 D2 L1 in Poland). Their first tie against a Polish team was the 1969/70 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, when the Blues beat Górnik Zabrze 2-1 in Vienna.
Match background
• Lech had gone three games without a win – or indeed a goal – at home in European competition when they beat FC Salzburg 2-0 in their last Group A fixture at the Miejski Stadium.
• City are six matches unbeaten in European competition; five wins and a draw.
• The Blues have won both of their European away games this season without conceding a goal, bringing an end to a four-game wait for a victory on their travels.
Team facts
• The next goal City score will be their 100th in UEFA club competition.
• Lech have committed more fouls than any other club so far in the group stage, 59 over the course of the first three matchdays.
• Lech announced the departure of coach Jacek Zieliński on the eve of the City game, with former FC Barcelona midfielder José Maria 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.
• City manager Roberto Mancini spent the bulk of his career as a forward with UC Sampdoria and S.S. Lazio, winning Cup Winners' Cups with both. Having taken the Italian Cup as a coach with Lazio and ACF Fiorentina, he won three successive Serie A titles – and two more cups – with FC Internazionale Milano from 2004 to 2008. He replaced Mark Hughes as City boss in December 2009.