Lech Poznań

Lech Poznań
Full name Kolejowy Klub Sportowy Lech Poznań, S.A.
Nickname(s) Kolejorz (The Railwayman)
Founded 19 March 1922 (1922-03-19)
as KS Lutnia Dębiec
Ground INEA Stadion,
Poznań, Poland
Ground Capacity 43,269 [1]
Chairman Karol Klimczak
Coach Nenad Bjelica
League Ekstraklasa
2016–17 3rd
Website Club website

Lech Poznań (Polish pronunciation: [lɛx ˈpɔznaɲ]) is a Polish professional football club based in Poznań and currently competing in the Ekstraklasa, the nation's highest division. The club is named after Lech, the legendary founder of the Polish nation.

The club was established in 1922 as Lutnia Dębiec, later changing its name several times. From 1930 until 1994, the club was closely linked to Polish State Railways (PKP). As a result, its popular nickname is Kolejorz [kɔˈlɛjɔʂ], which means The Railwayman in local slang. The club's debut in the Polish top division took place in the year 1948. The brightest era of Lech was in the early 1980s and early 1990s. Lech has won the Polish league a total of seven times, most recently in 2015, and is the most popular football club in the Greater Poland region.

Honours

Domestic

Poland Teodor Anioła (1949 - 20, 1950 - 21, 1951 - 20)
Poland Mirosław Okoński (1982–83 - 15)
Poland Andrzej Juskowiak (1989–90 - 18)
Poland Jerzy Podbrożny (1991–92 - 20, 1992–93 - 25)
Poland Piotr Reiss (2006–07 - 15)
Poland Robert Lewandowski (2009–10 - 18)
Latvia Artjoms Rudņevs (2011–12 - 22)
Poland Marcin Robak (2016–17 - 18)

Europe Europe

UEFA participation

As of 16 December 2010, Lech Poznań had played a total of 62 games in European competition during the years 1978–10. Among the most memorable games in the club's history were the clashes against Barcelona in the 1988–89 season of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup second round. After both matches ended with 1–1 draw, Lech Poznań lost the penalty shoot-out with 4–5. Barcelona eventually went on to win the tournament.

During the 1983–84 European Cup season, Lech earned a 2–0 win at home against Spanish champions Athletic Bilbao. During the 1990–91 season, Lech eliminated the Greek champions Panathinaikos in the first round, with a 5–1 score on aggregate. In the next tie Lech was knocked out by Marseille but won the first leg 3–2 at home.

During the 2008–09 UEFA Cup season, Lech made it to the group stage of the competition after knocking out higher seeded teams of Grasshopper (notching its greatest margin of victory with a 6–0 win at home) and Austria Wien (scoring the decisive goal in the last minute of extra-time). In the group stage, Lech finished third-placed ahead of Nancy and Feyenoord to secure a place in the Third Round, where it was knocked out by the Italian side Udinese.

Their home ground Stadion Miejski has been totally rebuilt and completed in September 2010 for UEFA Euro 2012, during which it is expected to host 3 games in Group C.

Kolejorz wrote another glorious chapter in club's history during its 2010–11 UEFA Europa League campaign. After being knocked out by Sparta Prague during Champions League qualification, they made it to the group stage of the Europa League. This time the Polish underdog had to face the big names: Juventus and Manchester City. In Turin a hat-trick by Artjoms Rudņevs earned them a surprising 3–3 draw. After defeating the English side at home 3–1, Lech made it to the top of the group. The game against Juventus was played in very bad, snowy conditions and ended in a 1–1 draw. This was enough to put Lech Poznań into the knockout phase of the Europa League.

List of results

As of 4 August 2017.
Competition App Games Won Drawn Lost GF GA
Champions League 7 24 10 1 13 27 38
Cup Winners' Cup 2 8 4 2 2 10 7
Europa League 12 64 26 16 22 89 71
Overall 21 96 40 19 37 126 116
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Agg
1978–79 UEFA Cup 1R Germany MSV Duisburg 2–5 0–5 2–10
1982–83 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Iceland ÍBV 3–0 1–0 4–0
2R Scotland Aberdeen 0–1 0–2 0–3
1983–84 European Cup 1R Spain Athletic Bilbao 2–0 0–4 2–4
1984–85 European Cup 1R England Liverpool 0–1 0–4 0–5
1985–86 UEFA Cup 1R Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach 0–2 1–1 1–3
1988–89 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Albania Flamurtari Vlorë 1–0 3–2 4–2
2R Spain Barcelona 1–1 1–1 2–2 (4–5 pen)
1990–91 European Cup 1R Greece Panathinaikos 3–0 2–1 5–1
2R France Olympique de Marseille 3–2 1–6 4–8
1992–93 UEFA Champions League 1R Latvia Skonto 2–0 0–0 2–0
2R Sweden IFK Göteborg 0–3 0–1 0–4
1993–94 UEFA Champions League 1R Israel Beitar Jerusalem 3–0 4–2 7–2
2R Russia Spartak Moscow 1–5 1–2 2–7
1999–00 UEFA Cup Q Latvia Liepājas Metalurgs 3–1 2–3 5–4
1R Sweden IFK Göteborg 1–2 0–0 1–2
2004–05 UEFA Cup 2Q Russia Terek Grozny 0–1 0–1 0–2
2008–09 UEFA Cup 1Q Azerbaijan Khazar Lankaran 4–1 1–0 5–1
2Q Switzerland Grasshopper 6–0 0–0 6–0
1R Austria Austria Wien 4–2 1–2 5–4
GR France Nancy 2–2 3rd
Russia CSKA Moscow 1–2
Spain Deportivo La Coruña 1–1
Netherlands Feyenoord 1–0
3R Italy Udinese 2–2 1–2 3–4
2009–10 UEFA Europa League 3Q Norway Fredrikstad 1–2 6–1 7–3
PO Belgium Club Brugge 1–0 0–1 1–1 (3–4 pen)
2010–11 UEFA Champions League 2Q Azerbaijan Inter Baku 0–1 1–0 1–1 (9–8 pen)
3Q Czech Republic Sparta Praha 0–1 0–1 0–2
2010–11 UEFA Europa League PO Ukraine Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 0–0 1–0 1–0
GR Italy Juventus 1–1 3–3 2nd
Austria FC Salzburg 2–0 1–0
England Manchester City 3–1 1–3
1/16 Portugal Braga 1–0 0–2 1–2
2012–13 UEFA Europa League 1Q Kazakhstan Zhetysu 2–0 1–1 3–1
2Q Azerbaijan Khazar Lankaran 1–0 1–1 2–1
3Q Sweden AIK 1–0 0–3 1–3
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 2Q Finland FC Honka 2–1 3–1 5–2
3Q Lithuania Žalgiris Vilnius 2–1 0–1 2–2 (a)
2014–15 UEFA Europa League 2Q Estonia Nõmme Kalju 3–0 0–1 3–1
3Q Iceland Stjarnan 0–0 0–1 0–1
2015–16 UEFA Champions League 2Q Bosnia and Herzegovina FK Sarajevo 1–0 2–0 3–0
3Q Switzerland Basel 1–3 0–1 1–4
2015–16 UEFA Europa League PO Hungary Videoton 3–0 1–0 4–0
GR Switzerland Basel 0–1 0–2 3rd
Italy Fiorentina 0–2 2–1
Portugal Belenenses 0–0 0–0
2017–18 UEFA Europa League 1Q Republic of Macedonia Pelister 4–0 3–0 7–0
2Q Norway Haugesund 2–0 2–3 4–3
3Q Netherlands Utrecht 2–2 0–0 2–2 (a)

UEFA Team ranking

As of 21 July 2017.[3]
Rank Team Points
141Ukraine Zorya Luhansk7.000
Poland Lech Poznań
143Ukraine FC Oleksandriya6.786
Ukraine Vorskla Poltava
Ukraine Metalist Kharkiv

Records

Current squad

As of 22 July 2017.[4]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Bosnia and Herzegovina GK Jasmin Burić
2 Poland DF Robert Gumny
3 Denmark DF Lasse Nielsen
5 Ghana MF Abdul Aziz Tetteh (Vice-captain)
6 Poland MF Łukasz Trałka
7 Poland MF Maciej Gajos (Captain)
8 Poland MF Szymon Pawłowski
10 Switzerland MF Darko Jevtić
13 Montenegro DF Nikola Vujadinović
14 Denmark FW Nicki Bille Nielsen
15 Poland MF Jakub Moder
16 Croatia MF Mario Šitum (on loan from Croatia Dinamo Zagreb)
17 Poland MF Maciej Makuszewski
18 Romania MF Mihai Răduț
No. Position Player
19 Spain DF Vernon De Marco (on loan from Slovakia Slovan Bratislava)
22 Ukraine DF Volodymyr Kostevych
23 Sweden MF Nicklas Bärkroth
24 Poland FW Dawid Kurminowski
26 Poland DF Rafał Janicki (on loan from Lechia Gdańsk)
27 Poland DF Tymoteusz Puchacz
28 Poland DF Marcin Wasielewski
29 Poland MF Kamil Jóźwiak
30 Slovakia GK Matúš Putnocký
32 Denmark FW Christian Gytkjær
33 Poland GK Miłosz Mleczko
66 Austria DF Emir Dilaver
86 Poland MF Radosław Majewski
92 Latvia FW Deniss Rakels (on loan from England Reading)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
20 Poland MF Dariusz Formella (at Pogoń Szczecin until 30 June 2018)
21 Poland MF Jakub Serafin (at Norway Haugesund until 30 June 2018)
25 Poland FW Paweł Tomczyk (at Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała until 30 June 2018)
No. Position Player
Poland FW Piotr Kurbiel (at Olimpia Elbląg until 30 June 2018)
Poland GK Mateusz Lis (at Raków Częstochowa until 30 June 2018)

Retired numbers

9 - Poland Piotr Reiss - Forward (1994–98, 2002–08, 2012–13)
12 - number retired for fans, called "12th player"

[5]

Coaching staff

Stadium

The Municipal Stadium in Poznań, Poland, It is the home ground of Lech Poznań, and was one of the venues for the group phase of Euro 2012. It has a league capacity of 43,269 (all seated). The stadium was originally built between 1968 and 1980. From its inauguration in August 1980 Lech Poznań has used the ground as its main venue; since 2010 it has also been used by Warta Poznań, which currently plays in I Liga.[7] The ground is situated on the street ul. Bułgarska 17 in the southwestern part of the city (Grunwald district).

In the years 2003–10 the stadium underwent a complete reconstruction, including the building of four new fully covered stands.[8] Currently it is the fifth largest stadium in Poland (after National Stadium, Silesia Stadium, The Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw and PGE Arena Gdańsk) and third largest in Ekstraklasa (after the latter two).[9] The grand opening after final renovation took place on 20 September 2010, with Sting's Symphonicity Tour concert.

Exterior of the municipal stadium in Poznań 
Full Exterior of the stadium 
Full interior showing vip stand 
Interior of the municipal stadium 

Fans

Lech Poznań is considered to have one of the strongest fan support in Poland due to the club's high average attendance in the Ekstraklasa and the atmosphere during the games.

Lech's fanbase is mainly located in the Greater Poland region, with fan clubs in numerous other towns.

For over a decade Lech supporters have a fellowship with fans from Arka Gdynia and KS Cracovia (the alliance is sometimes known as the Wielka Triada or The Great Triad). Close friendship links Lech fans also with KSZO Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski supporters (since 1992). Among the more ardent element of supporters, there are some private contacts with Fratria, fans of Spartak Moscow.

The biggest rival is Legia Warsaw with whom they contest the "Derby of Poland". Wisła Kraków, Lechia Gdańsk and Śląsk Wrocław are also big rivals due to the fans friendship with Arka and Cracovia, similarly Korona Kielce are disliked due to the friendship with KSZO. Other teams that can be considered rivals are Widzew Łódź, Ruch Chorzów and Pogoń Szczecin. In past the "Greater Poland derby" was played against regional rivals Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski before their decline.

Relations with local rival Warta Poznań are neutral as the clubs have almost always played in different leagues and many fans attend matches of both teams.

The Poznań

The fans' goal celebration involving the turning of their backs to the pitch, joining arms and jumping up and down in unison—originated in 1961. It is known in the English speaking world as "The Poznan" after Manchester City began using the celebration following their clash with Lech Poznań in the group stages of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League. Also popular with fans of Scottish club Celtic who call their version "The Huddle", in homage to the teams pre-match ritual of a huddle before every game kicks off.

Lech II Poznań

The club operates a reserve team which currently plays in the Third Division, the fourth tier of the league pyramid and the highest non-centralised league.

They gained promotion in the 2003–04 season to the third tier after winning the league and beating Jarota Jarocin 2–0 twice, 4–0 on aggregate. In that same season they reached the First Round of the Polish Cup but were knocked out by Górnik Konin 3–1. In the 2006–07 season the reserve teams were scrapped in favour of a central youth league, but in the 2013–14 season they were reinstated, meaning that between 2007 and 2013 the team ceased to exist. They were reinstated to their previous league position for the 2013–14 season.

Lech Poznań Academy

The Lech Poznań Academy (Polish: Akademia Lecha Poznań) is the club's youth system, with several teams across all children's ages up until its most senior U-19 youth team. The teams play in the Central Junior League, which was at first formed to replace the clubs' reserve teams which participated in the league pyramid. The club's youth system is one of the most extensive and advanced in the country and has produced many players which went on to play in the senior team.

KKS Wiara Lecha

KKS Wiara Lecha is a football club founded by Lech Poznań supporters in 2011. Only active supporters can play in the team and they have to have made a contribution to the supporter scene in order to be admitted to the squad.

Notable players

Managers

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.lechpoznan.pl/bulgarska
  2. ↑ "Bakero inspires Lech to City scalp". UEFA. 4 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "UEFA 5-year Club Ranking 2018". Bert Kassies. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  4. ↑ "Pierwsza drużyna" (in Polish). Lech Poznań. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.lechpoznan.pl/druzyny,pierwszy,zespol
  6. ↑ http://akademia.lechpoznan.pl/news/ivan,djurdjevic,,lech,poznan,to,wyzszy,cel#.VMfoLYcmP1B
  7. ↑ Zenon Kubiak. "To pewne - Warta będzie grała na Bułgarskiej - Wieści - MM Moje Miasto" (in Polish). Mmpoznan.pl. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  8. ↑ "Stadion Miejski w Poznaniu (Stadion Lecha Poznań) –". Stadiony.net. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  9. ↑ "Stadiony piłkarskie w Polsce –". Stadiony.net. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
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