Fiorentina v Lech background
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Article summary
Fiorentina have won both of their previous fixtures against Polish opponents by a two-goal margin – a worrying statistic for their Group I visitors Lech Poznań, who have yet to score.
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ACF Fiorentina recorded a substantial away win on matchday two and are overdue a home success as they welcome KKS Lech Poznań in UEFA Europa League Group I.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition.
• Fiorentina won both of their previous games against Polish opponents by a two-goal margin, beating RTS Widzew Łódź 3-1 at home and 2-0 away in the 1999/2000 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.
• Lech have yet to win in four matches against Italian teams (D3 L1).
Form guide
• Fiorentina's 4-0 triumph at Os Belenenses on matchday two equalled their biggest margin of victory away from home in UEFA competition. However, they have lost their last two European fixtures at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
• Lech have yet to score in two Group I games (D1 L1).
• Fiorentina have made it through to the round of 32 in all three of their UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns.
• Lech progressed to the round of 32 in their two previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage participations.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Poznan to Florence is around 1,050km.
• The game is taking place the day after Lech forward Dariusz Formella's 20th birthday.
• Fiorentina's on-loan Poland midfielder Jakub Błaszczykowski started his career at KS Częstochowa before moving on to Lech's domestic rivals Wisła Kraków in 2005. He joined the Viola on a temporary basis in the summer after eight years at Borussia Dortmund.
• Lech are one of ten domestic champions in this season's group stage, along with KF Skenderbëu (Albania), Qarabağ FK (Albania), APOEL FC (Cyprus), FC Viktoria Plzeň (Czech Republic), FC Midtjylland (Denmark), FK Partizan (Serbia), Molde FK (Norway), Celtic FC (Scotland) and FC Basel 1893 (Switzerland).
The coaches
• A European champion as a player with Juventus (1996) and Borussia Dortmund (1997), former Portugal midfielder Paulo Sousa joined Fiorentina in June and is on the hunt for a third title in as many seasons, having won the 2013/14 Israeli crown with Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC and the Swiss Super League last term with Basel.
• Jan Urban replaced Maciej Skorża as Lech coach in the run-up to matchday three with the Polish champions bottom of the Ekstraklasa table. Former Poland striker Urban won three national titles as a player and two more as Legia Warszawa coach.
