Preview: Thun vs Lech Poznan - prediction, team news, lineups

With one foot in the final, Polish champions Lech Poznan will travel to face Swiss champions Thun at Visana Stadion for the second leg of their Europa League qualification playoff.

The hosts are playing for pride this week, while Kolejorz are hoping to make it six wins on the bounce.

Match preview

Gian-Luca Privitelli's Thun are all but eliminated from the Europa League process after being thrashed in the first leg of this tie, but they also come into this contest on the back of a poor run overall.

The Swiss title holders were hammered 7-0 in last Thursday's clash, a crushing defeat that marked their fifth loss in seven games.

However, while it is unfathomable that they could overturn such a mountainous deficit this week, Privitelli's side will take heart from the fact that they are already guaranteed a place in the Conference League's league phase, a respectable consolation for reaching the playoff.

A Thun victory in the second leg may be meaningless in terms of the actual result, but it would give the club a confidence boost at what is a difficult time in their campaign both domestically and on the continent.

That being said, the hosts have triumphed in just one of their last five home outings, beating Vikingur Reykjavik 3-0 on August 6, after losing twice and drawing twice in the four games prior.

Meanwhile, Niels Frederiksen's Lech Poznan are comfortably into the Europa League proper without having kicked a ball this week, and while they may take this opportunity to rotate some personnel, another win would not come as a surprise.

Kolejorz were dropped out of the Champions League qualification process after they were beaten on penalties by Aarhus on July 29, but they bounced back by winning each of their three qualifying matches in UEFA's second-tier competition, including a 6-0 aggregate triumph over Klaksvik in the third round.

After Frederiksen's men demolished Thun 7-0 in the first leg of this tie, they will head into Thursday's follow-up on a run of five consecutive victories, and fans will be almost expecting to see the team win once again.

Adding to that feeling is the fact that the Polish side have kept four clean sheets on the bounce prior to kick off, though such defensive concentration will be put to the test in a match that will little bearing on the club's overall season.

Hoping to continue their immaculate run, Lech will be buoyed by their away performance in the previous qualifying round, which saw them comprehensively beat Klaksvik 5-0 on August 14.

Thun Europa League form:

Thun form (all competitions):

Lech Poznan Europa League form:

Lech Poznan form (all competitions):

Team News

Thun will be without defensive midfielder Mattias Kait this week as he recovers from a muscle injury, though Justin Roth and Nassim Zoukit should be ready to start as Privitelli's double pivot.

Elsewhere, centre-back Genis Montolio is undergoing rehabilitation following a cruciate ligament injury, so Jan Bamert and Marco Burki may line up at the heart of the hosts' defence.

As for Lech, they are lighter up top than ideal, missing wingers Leo Bengtsson and Ali Gholizadeh due to respective foot and cruciate ligament injuries, while striker Kamil Jakobczyk is a doubt with an ankle issue.

Given that Jakobczyk is unlikely to be risked, 18-year-old Wojciech Szymczak could replace Allahyar Sayyadmanesh up top, and be supported from out wide by Daniel Hakans and Luis Palma.

The visitors also have doubts about the fitness of defensive midfielder Filip Jagiello, and if his muscle injury renders him unavailable once again, Radoslaw Murawski and Antoni Kozubal look set to operate in the centre of the park.

Thun possible starting lineup:

Steffen; Fehr, Bamert, Burki, Heule; Reichmuth, Roth, Zoukit, Matoshi; Gutbub, Labeau

Lech Poznan possible starting lineup:

Lis; Pereira, Skrzypczak, Monka, Gurgul; Murawski, Kozubal; Hakans, Rodriguez, Palma; Szymczak

We say: Thun 1-1 Lech Poznan

Thun are all but out of the Europa League qualifying process after their 7-0 loss in the first leg, but they will be out to earn a consolation victory this week.

Lech have been exceptionally strong at both ends of the pitch in recent weeks, but considering the low-stakes nature of this match, their winning streak could be brought to a finish.

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