Preview: Poland vs Romania - prediction, team news, lineups

Poland and Romania square off in the UEFA Nations League on Friday night in what could prove to be a pivotal fixture in Group B4.

While the home side have earned just one point from their opening two matches, the visitors have suffered consecutive defeats.

Match preview

After missing out on the World Cup, everyone associated with Poland would have hoped for a positive start to this competition as they bid to get back on track before the Euro 2028 qualifiers.

Instead, a goalless draw at home with Bosnia-Herzegovina has been followed by a 3-1 defeat to Sweden.

Although it should be acknowledged that Poland have faced two 2026 World Cup participants, Jan Urban continues to battle to win over supporters.

Not only has he won just five of his 12 matches in charge, Poland are on a five-game streak without a victory.

Urban's five wins have been against Finland, New Zealand, Lithuania, Malta and Albania.

However, Urban and his Poland squad may relish the chance to face a Romania outfit who have lost their first two fixtures.

Five first-half goals have been conceded during a 2-1 defeat to Sweden and 4-2 reverse at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Across their last eight fixtures, Romania have recorded just two wins - at home to San Marino and Wales - while also failing to keep a single clean sheet.

Defeat in Warsaw on Friday night would leave Romania four points adrift of third place in the group and facing the realistic prospect of relegation.

These two nations have not faced each other since the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, when Poland ran out 3-1 winners in a home fixture in June 2017.

Poland Nations League form:

Poland form (all competitions):

Romania Nations League form:

Romania form (all competitions):

Team News

With the back three against Sweden not working out, Poland boss Urban could revert to a defensive four for this contest.

Robert Lewandowski should be recalled down the centre of the attack, while Przemyslaw Frankowski is an option to replace Matty Cash at right-back with the Aston Villa defender having played twice on the back of a minor issue with his club before the international break.

Bartosz Slisz and Michal Skoras could also feature in central midfield and on the flank respectively.

Romania boss Gheorghe Hagi may also switch formation, going back to a back three after it helped push Sweden on matchday one.

Virgil Ghita and Tudor Baluta could return in defence and midfield respectively, but Daniel Birligea is in line to keep his place in attack after netting versus Bosina-Herzegovina.

Poland possible starting lineup:

Bulka; Frankowski, Potulski, Bednarek, Kiwior; Skoras, Zielinski, Slisz, Kaminski; Szymanski; Lewandowski

Romania possible starting lineup:

Radu; Ghita, Coubis, Dragusin; Ratiu, Marin, Baluta, Bancu; Hagi; Man, Birligea

We say: Poland 2-1 Romania

Although Romania have shown that they can score goals in this group, we do not think they are capable of keeping a clean sheet on away territory versus a team like Poland, even with Lewandowski no longer the force he once was.

Therefore, the home side could come through with a hard-fought three points, a result that could prove to be the difference between survival at this level and relegation.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.