Early Season Struggles
Both teams have had a less-than-stellar start to the new season, struggling to find consistent victories. This opening leg of the Europa League’s final qualifying round presents a crucial opportunity for them to build a strong foundation for advancing to the main stage. Failure to do so would relegate them to the Conference League.
Lech’s European Campaign and Domestic Form
The Polish champions ultimately failed to secure their place in the Champions League, exiting in the third qualifying round after a two-legged defeat to Crvena Zvezda (1:3, 1:1). The ‘Blue-Whites’ were overcome by the Serbian powerhouse at home, and subsequently, Lech couldn’t secure a win against Korona in the league (1:1). It’s notable that in all six of their home matches in Poznań, the team has conceded goals, with five of these games ending with ‘over’ outcomes. The ‘Railwaymen’ have also struggled for victories, managing only two so far.
Genk’s Belgian Pro League Performance
Genk’s start in the Belgian Pro League has also been underwhelming: they sit in eighth place after four rounds with just a single victory. The key distinction for the ‘Miners’ is that this match marks their entry into European competitions, so we primarily look at their domestic league form. There, Thorsten Fink’s squad has seen ‘both teams to score’ in all four matches and ‘over 2.5 goals’ in three out of four.
Betting Recommendation
Therefore, in my opinion, it’s logical to consider a ‘Both Teams to Score’ (BTTS) or ‘Over Total Goals’ bet. Their last head-to-head encounter in 2018, played on Lech’s home ground, concluded with a 2-1 victory for the visitors, which leads me to favor the Over Total Goals option. I will refrain from predicting a definite winner for this fixture.
Mark Thompson