Conference League: Jagiellonia Chasing a Miracle, Lech Poznań Close to Advancement

The return leg of Jagiellonia Białystok against ACF Fiorentina in the Conference League play-off phase promised from the start to be one of the most difficult tasks in the history of the Podlasie club's European appearances. After a 0:3 defeat at their own stadium, Adrian Siemieniec's charges had to put everything on the line. The match in Italy started exceptionally promisingly for the Polish champions, as Jagiellonia managed to score an early goal, laying the foundation for a potential comeback. However, the euphoric mood was tempered in the 35th minute of the match when a serious-looking health incident involving one of the players occurred on the pitch, forcing a break in play and introducing nervousness among the Białystok ranks. Coach Siemieniec, despite immense pressure from the scoreline, opted for a bold lineup, counting on the impact of the returning Afimico Pululu and the experience of Taras Romańczuk. The Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence, named after the former UEFA president, is one of the most distinctive venues in Italy, known for the concrete Torre di Maratona tower commissioned in 1931.Simultaneously in Poznań, local side Lech was preparing to finally seal advancement to the next round. After a 2:0 victory in Finland against KuPS Kuopio, "Kolejorz" is a clear favorite among bookmakers and experts. Coach Niels Frederiksen warned, however, against premature celebration, reminding that football has seen spectacular comebacks from two-goal deficits before. Daniel Hakans returned to Lech's match squad, significantly expanding options in attack, though the absence of Filip Jagiełło is still felt. Organizing the match in the capital of Greater Poland involved significant logistical difficulties – Poznań police and municipal services decided to close key arteries around the stadium at Bułgarska Street, affecting traffic in almost the entire western part of the city. „Crediamo che finché la palla è in gioco, tutto sia possibile. Siamo venuti qui per lottare per i sogni dei naszych tifosi.” (We believe that as long as the ball is in play, anything is possible. We came here to fight for the dreams of our fans.) — Adrian Siemieniec Beyond the club battles, the attention of Polish fans also focuses on individual performances of national team players in the Europa League. Tomasz Kędziora and Karol Świderski fought to maintain their positions in foreign teams' lineups, being realistically threatened with absence in subsequent stages of the tournament. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski from Bologna is close to advancement, confirming his high form on the international stage. February 26, 2026, will go down in history as a moment of verification for the potential of Polish club football relative to top European brands like Fiorentina, which in recent years has reached the final of this competition twice. ACF Fiorentina, founded in 1926, was the first Italian club to win a European trophy, triumphing in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1961 after defeating Glasgow Rangers. In the context of personal future, sports media are buzzing with rumors about Adrian Siemieniec. It is speculated that Jagiellonia's successful performances in European cups have put the young coach under the observation of clubs from Italian Serie A. The person concerned did not firmly deny these reports in pre-match interviews, suggesting that working in a stronger league is a natural stage of development for every ambitious coach. The results of Thursday's matches will determine not only the further path of Polish teams in the current cup edition but also the pot distribution for the upcoming Europa League and Conference League draws scheduled for this Friday.