Crystal Palace open their UEFA Europa League League Stage campaign at home to Lech Poznan on Thursday night. The match at Selhurst Park kicks off at 19:00 UTC as Oliver Glasner's side aim to build on a mixed start to the domestic season.
Palace sit 16th in the Premier League with three points from four games, their form a patchwork of results. They followed a 3-0 home win over Middlesbrough with a 2-3 defeat to Ipswich Town last weekend, a game where Jørgen Strand Larsen and Anan Khalaili found the net. Tyrick Mitchell is the club's top scorer this season with two goals from four appearances.
Squad news
Glasner will be without several key attacking options for the European opener. Jean-Philippe Mateta is sidelined with a hamstring injury until late October, while Eddie Nketiah and Ismaïla Sarr are also ruled out. Defender Chadi Riad remains a long-term absentee. The manager is likely to rely on the recent starting core, which has featured Walter Benítez in goal and a midfield axis of Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada.
Lech Poznan arrive in London after a 1-0 win over Raków Częstochowa in the Polish Ekstraklasa. Their European journey began in the summer qualifying rounds, where they overcame Aarhus. Their last starting lineup featured former Palace loanee Joel Pereira in defence and Swedish midfielder Gustav Berggren.
For Palace, this match represents a chance to establish momentum before a tough Premier League trip to third-placed Leeds United this weekend. The Europa League group stage continues next month.
