Prediction: Poland vs Turkey

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 12/5

Bookmaker: Unibet

As part of their final preparations for Euro 2024, Poland and Turkey will face off in an international friendly on Monday evening in Warsaw.

Poland is set to kick off their European Championship journey against the Netherlands on June 16, while Turkey will start their campaign in Germany with a match against Georgia on June 18.

Poland

Poland triumphed over Ukraine 3-1 in a friendly on Friday, marking their fourth consecutive victory, and they now aim to secure another favorable outcome in their final match before Euro 2024.

Michal Probierz’s squad will commence their Group D campaign against the Netherlands on June 16th, with Austria and France also competing in what promises to be a highly intriguing and challenging group.

Poland’s second group match is scheduled against Austria on June 21st, followed by a clash with France four days later. There is a possibility that the French side, if already assured of advancing to the next round, may opt to rest several key players.

The White-Reds have participated in the European Championship finals on just four previous occasions, exiting at the group stage in 2008, 2012, and 2020, but they did reach the quarterfinals in 2016.

Historically, Poland have fared better in encounters with Turkey, securing victory in 11 of their 17 previous meetings. However, the two nations have not faced each other since October 1993, when Turkey emerged victorious with a 2-1 win in a World Cup qualifier.

Team News

Poland’s lineup is spearheaded by their captain and record goalscorer Robert Lewandowski, who has netted 82 times for his country throughout his illustrious career.

The squad boasts a wealth of experience, including goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and midfielders Kamil Grosicki and Piotr Zielinski, all of whom are anticipated to play key roles this summer.

Head coach Probierz is expected to reinstate Lewandowski, Szczesny and Grosicki to the starting eleven, as the trio were on the bench in the match against Ukraine. However, the team faced a significant setback with Arkadiusz Milik sustaining a knee injury, sidelining him for the European Championship.

Turkey

Meanwhile, Turkey come into this match following a scoreless draw with Italy on Tuesday, facing another challenging friendly before embarking on their Euro 2024 journey.

Vincenzo Montella’s team will compete in Group F at Euro 2024, where they will face Georgia, Portugal and the Czech Republic, starting with the match against Georgia on June 18th.

Turkey’s most notable achievement in the European Championship came in 2008 when they reached the semifinals. However, they were eliminated in the group stage in the last two editions of the tournament.

Absent from the 2022 World Cup, Turkey boast a talented squad, and they are aiming to secure a top-two finish in their group to progress to the knockout rounds.

Despite being winless in their last four outings, Turkey’s most recent victory was a memorable one, having defeated the Euro 2024 hosts Germany in a friendly late last year.

Team News

Montella finalized his 26-man squad for Euro 2024 on Friday, omitting Dogan Alemdar, Cenk Ozkacar, Berat Ozdemir, Can Uzun, Abdulkadir Omur, and Oguz Aydin.

The visitors will also be without Ozan Kabak, Caglar Soyuncu, and Enes Unal, as injuries have ruled the trio out of the tournament.

Cenk Tosun and Kerem Akturkoglu are expected to feature in the attacking positions for the visitors in this match, while Real Madrid forward Arda Guler is also likely to start, with Montella planning to make adjustments from the lineup that started the goalless draw against Italy.

Conclusion

This match promises to be intriguing with the main tournament fast approaching. While Poland are currently on better form, Turkey demonstrated strong defensive capabilities against Italy in their last outing. A draw feels very likely.

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 12/5

Bookmaker: Unibet