Champion's rotation gives visitors a chance: prediction for the Lech vs Cracovia match — 25.07.2026
On Saturday, July 25, 2026, the opening round of the Polish Ekstraklasa sees Lech Poznań host Cracovia. The clash at the Enea Stadium in Poznań kicks off at 20:15 local time. The reigning Polish champions enter the new campaign riding high after a 3-1 Super Cup triumph over Górnik and a commanding 4-1 win against Danish side AGF Aarhus in the Champions League qualifiers. Cracovia, meanwhile, wrapped up preseason with three straight victories, the last coming in a 1-0 win over Sevilla.
Lech: Seven goals in two matches and rotation ahead of the return leg
Niels Frederiksen's squad has made a near-perfect start to the new season. First, the Poznań side captured the Polish Super Cup with a confident win over Górnik, then made a strong statement in Europe by dismantling Danish champions AGF Aarhus 4-1 away from home.
Patrick Walemark was particularly outstanding in Denmark, netting a brace. Alongside Mikael Ishak, Luis Palma, and Pablo Rodriguez, he forms an attacking unit that's already in fine form, regularly creating chances through swift transitions and relentless wing play.
However, the fixture list is forcing the coaching staff to manage workloads carefully. With the return leg against Aarhus looming on July 29, Frederiksen has indicated there could be two to four changes in the starting lineup against Cracovia. The hosts won't field a full reserve side, but some reshuffling in defense and midfield is almost inevitable.
The biggest confirmed long-term absentee remains Ali Gholizadeh. The Iranian midfielder suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in May and is out for an extended period. Nevertheless, Lech's squad depth allows them to maintain high attacking intensity even with partial rotation.
Cracovia: Productive preseason and a win over Sevilla
The Kraków club played four friendlies. After a 2-1 defeat to Pafos, they went on to beat İstanbul Başakşehir 3-1, Pardubice 2-0, and Sevilla 1-0. That means Cracovia found the net in all their summer outings and won their last three games.
One of the standout performers in preseason was Aydin Hasic. The Bosnian midfielder scored against Pafos, Pardubice, and Sevilla, with his goal against the Spanish side sealing victory for the Poles. Other threats include Kahveh Zaheeroleslam, who bagged a brace against Başakşehir, and the experienced Mateusz Klich, who orchestrates play and set pieces.
Shortly before the league kickoff, Filip Marchwinski and Alex Marciniak joined the squad. The newcomers may need time to fully adapt, so the starting XI is likely to resemble the lineup that began the Sevilla match.
Probable line-ups
- Lech: Lis — Pereira, Monka, Yegbe, Gurgul — Murawski, Kozubal, Rodriguez — Walemark, Ishak, Palma.
- Cracovia: Madejski — Kakabadze, Baumgartner, Traore, Perkovic — Hasic, Knap, Klich, Al-Ammari, Minchev — Zaheeroleslam.
Lech's lineup is based on their most recent match against Aarhus, though with rotation expected, Filip Jagiełło, Leo Bengtsson, Daniel Håkans, or Allahyar Sayyadmanesh could start. For the visitors, the starting XI will likely mirror the successful combination from the Sevilla win.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Lech have scored seven and conceded two in their first two official matches this season.
- The Poznań side conceded goals to both Górnik and Aarhus.
- Cracovia scored in all four preseason games.
- Aydin Hasic found the net in three of Cracovia’s four summer matches.
- In July 2025, Cracovia thrashed Lech in Poznań 4-1.
- The teams' second meeting last season ended in a 2-2 goalfest.
Visitors to embrace open football: prediction for Lech vs Cracovia
Lech are deserved favorites. The hosts boast a deeper squad, have already played two official matches, and are riding high after their emphatic win in Denmark. However, the odds for a straight Lech win are around 1.45, which isn't particularly enticing.
A bet on both teams to score looks much more appealing. Lech have shown plenty of attacking firepower but have yet to keep a clean sheet. Potential changes at the back and a congested schedule between European ties add extra risk.
Cracovia arrive in Poznań on the back of three consecutive wins, have scored in every summer match, and possess several players capable of exploiting open spaces: Hasic, Klich, Minchev, and Zaheeroleslam. Moreover, both meetings between these sides last season were high-scoring, with goals on both ends.
Prediction: both teams to score — yes.
