Poland will play the Faroe Islands in their fourth Euro 2024 qualifier at the National Stadium in Warsaw on September 7. Three days later the Poles will take on Albania in their next qualifying fixture in Tirana.
Poland's Portuguese manager Fernando Santos last Thursday released a list of 25 football players called up for the two games.
Since then two players, Bologna goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski and AS Roma midfielder Nicola Zalewski, have succumbed to injuries, according to officials.
Meanwhile, Nice keeper Marcin Bułka and Legia Warsaw midfielder Paweł Wszołek have been called up as replacements, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The squad named by Santos to face the Faroe Islands and Albania includes Barcelona star striker Robert Lewandowski and other regulars such as Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, Napoli midfielder Piotr Zieliński and Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash.
Meanwhile, defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak and winger Kamil Grosicki are making a comeback to the national squad after a gap of several months. They have not yet played for the Polish team under Santos.
Poland in June lost 2-3 to Moldova in their third Euro 2024 qualifier in Chișinău, leaving fans jittery about the national football team's chances of qualifying for the European tournament next year.
The Polish team, captained by Lewandowski, on March 24 opened its Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 1-3 defeat against the Czech Republic. The Poles then beat Albania 1-0 at home in their second qualifier on March 27.
Poland captain Robert Lewandowski. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
After three rounds of fixtures, Poland are fourth in their qualifying Group E, ahead of only the Faroe Islands.
Poland are ranked 26th worldwide by football's governing body FIFA, while the Faroe Islands are No. 129 in the FIFA table. Albania are ranked 65th.
The Euro 2024 tournament will be held from June 14 to July 14, 2024 in 10 cities in Germany, with the final played at Berlin's Olympiastadion.
Poland failed to get past the group stage at the postponed Euro 2020 tournament, where they suffered a defeat to Slovakia before drawing with Spain and losing the decisive game against Sweden.
The Polish team made it through to the quarterfinals of the Euro 2016 championships in France, losing to Portugal on penalties.
Poland reached the last 16 of last year's World Cup in Qatar before being eliminated by eventual runners-up France.
Portugal's Santos took over as Poland manager in January.
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Source: IAR, PAP, TVP Info, laczynaspilka.pl