Euro 2024: Poland Captain Robert Lewandowski to miss opening game due to injury

Poland's captain Robert Lewandowski will miss the Euro 2024 opener against the Netherlands on June 16 due to a thigh injury sustained during a friendly match against Turkey. The injury adds to Poland's concerns as they prepare to face Austria and France in the upcoming tournament.

Ovaise Shariff

First Published Jun 11, 2024, 7:57 PM IST | Last Updated Jun 11, 2024, 7:57 PM IST

Poland's captain, Robert Lewandowski, will miss the country's Euro 2024 opener against the Netherlands on June 16 due to a thigh injury, as confirmed by the Polish football federation's doctor on Tuesday. The 35-year-old striker sustained the injury during Monday's 2-1 friendly win against Turkey. Poland's next matches are against Austria on June 21 and the tournament co-favorites France on June 25. Dr. Jacek Jaroszewski stated, "We are doing everything so that Robert can play in the second match against Austria."

Lewandowski, who plays for Barcelona, was substituted after just 33 minutes during his 150th international appearance. Despite this setback, Poland coach Michal Probierz remained hopeful about Lewandowski's recovery, expressing optimism post-match.

In addition to Lewandowski's injury, Probierz faces further challenges with injuries to other key players. Hellas Verona's Karol Swiderski injured his ankle while celebrating his goal against Turkey, and his teammate, defender Pawel Dawidowicz, strained his quadriceps during the game. Both players are expected to return to full training within 3-4 days.

Furthermore, striker Arkadiusz Milik suffered a knee injury during the warmup victory against Ukraine last Friday and has undergone minor surgery, making him unavailable for the tournament.

Probierz's remaining fit attacking options include Krzysztof Piatek from Istanbul Basaksehir and Adam Buksa from Antalyaspor, who collectively have 17 goals in 44 appearances for Poland. Poland remains unbeaten in their last eight games and has reached the past three European Championship finals, including a quarter-final appearance in 2016.

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