Lech vs Shakhtar: introducing the opponents
Thursday, March 12, 2026
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Shakhtar to face Polish champions Lech in the UEFA Conference League Round of 16
March 12, Poznań, Poznan Stadium, 19:45
The live broadcast will be available on MEGOGO
History and path to the Conference League
KKS Lech Poznań was founded on March 19, 1922 in Poznań. The team have become the champions of Poland 9 times (first in 1983, most recently in 2025) and have also won five Polish Cups and six Polish Super Cups. The Railwaymen’s best achievement on the European stage is reaching the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals in the 2022/23 season. Last season, the Poznań side won the Ekstraklasa, finishing just one point ahead of their main rival, earning the right to represent Poland in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. In the continent’s top club competition, the Poles began with an impressive victory over Icelandic champions Breiðablik (7-1, 1-0), but were eliminated in the second qualifying round by Serbian side Crvena Zvezda (1-3, 1-1). The Blue-and-Whites also did not last long in the Europa League, losing to Belgian side Genk (1-5, 2-1) in the play-off round, and thus entered the UEFA Conference League.
2025/26 performances
In the UEFA Europa Conference League league phase, Lech began with a home victory over Austrian side Rapid (4-1), followed by away defeats to Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps (1-2) and Spain’s Rayo Vallecano (2-3). However, the Poles ended the final three matches on a high – a win against Switzerland’s Lausanne (2-0), a draw with Germany’s Mainz (1-1) and a victory over Czech side Sigma (2-1). The Poznań side finished 11th in the overall table with 10 points (goal difference: 12-8). In the February knockout matches of the UEFA Conference League, they defeated Finnish side KuPS (2-0, 1-0).
In the Polish Ekstraklasa, Lech are competing for the title: they have 38 points after 24 matches (goal difference: 41-36) and currently sits 3rd in the table, 3 points behind the leaders. In the most recent round, the Blue-and-Whites lost away to Widzew (1-2). In the national Cup, the Railwaymen were stopped at the quarter-final stage, losing to Górnik at the beginning of March (0-1).
Squad and leaders
The head coach of Lech is 55-year-old Danish specialist Niels Frederiksen. He has been in charge of the team since the summer of 2024 and previously worked exclusively in his homeland – with Lyngby, Esbjerg, Denmark U21, and Bröndby, with whom he won the national championship (2021). Under his leadership, the Poznań side have played 77 matches (42 wins, 14 draws, 21 losses). The team’s captain and leader is 32-year-old Swedish forward Mikael Ishak, who has been with Lech since 2020 (207 appearances, 114 goals). Ishak is also the Railwaymen’s top scorer this season, with 24 goals and 7 assists in 38 matches (including 5 goals and 1 assist in 8 UEFA Conference League games). Overall, the squad is highly international, featuring 16 foreign players from 13 different countries (average age is– 24.4 years). The club’s most valuable player, according to Transfermarkt, is 21-year-old Polish defensive midfielder Antoni Kozubal (estimated value is EUR 4 million).
Stadium
Lech’s home ground is the Poznan Stadium, also known as the Municipal Stadium. It was built in 1980, last renovated in 2010, and currently meets UEFA Category 4 standards. The arena has a capacity of around 43,000, making it one of the five largest stadiums in Poland. It hosted 3 group stage matches of Euro 2012, with the Poland national team playing several friendlies there. It is interesting that a new pitch was laid at the stadium shortly before the match against Shakhtar.
Head-to-head record
Shakhtar and Lech will meet for the first time in a competitive match, although the teams have faced each other 4 times in friendly games during winter training camps. In those friendlies, the Orange-and-Blacks won 3 times and drew once. In addition, Shakhtar have played 3 matches against another Polish side – Legia. The Pitmen won twice in the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League qualifiers (1-0 in Donetsk and 3-2 in Warsaw) and lost in the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League (1-2). Lech have faced Ukrainian side Dnipro twice in the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League qualifiers, winning away (1-0) and drawing at home (0-0).
The Lech vs Shakhtar match will be officiated by the judging panel from Norway: referees – Rohit Saggi, assistant referees – Anders Olav Dale and Jørgen Valstadsve. VAR – Kristoffer Hagenes, AVAR – Marius Lien.
The live broadcast will be available on MEGOGO
History and path to the Conference League
KKS Lech Poznań was founded on March 19, 1922 in Poznań. The team have become the champions of Poland 9 times (first in 1983, most recently in 2025) and have also won five Polish Cups and six Polish Super Cups. The Railwaymen’s best achievement on the European stage is reaching the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals in the 2022/23 season. Last season, the Poznań side won the Ekstraklasa, finishing just one point ahead of their main rival, earning the right to represent Poland in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. In the continent’s top club competition, the Poles began with an impressive victory over Icelandic champions Breiðablik (7-1, 1-0), but were eliminated in the second qualifying round by Serbian side Crvena Zvezda (1-3, 1-1). The Blue-and-Whites also did not last long in the Europa League, losing to Belgian side Genk (1-5, 2-1) in the play-off round, and thus entered the UEFA Conference League.
2025/26 performances
In the UEFA Europa Conference League league phase, Lech began with a home victory over Austrian side Rapid (4-1), followed by away defeats to Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps (1-2) and Spain’s Rayo Vallecano (2-3). However, the Poles ended the final three matches on a high – a win against Switzerland’s Lausanne (2-0), a draw with Germany’s Mainz (1-1) and a victory over Czech side Sigma (2-1). The Poznań side finished 11th in the overall table with 10 points (goal difference: 12-8). In the February knockout matches of the UEFA Conference League, they defeated Finnish side KuPS (2-0, 1-0).
In the Polish Ekstraklasa, Lech are competing for the title: they have 38 points after 24 matches (goal difference: 41-36) and currently sits 3rd in the table, 3 points behind the leaders. In the most recent round, the Blue-and-Whites lost away to Widzew (1-2). In the national Cup, the Railwaymen were stopped at the quarter-final stage, losing to Górnik at the beginning of March (0-1).
Squad and leaders
The head coach of Lech is 55-year-old Danish specialist Niels Frederiksen. He has been in charge of the team since the summer of 2024 and previously worked exclusively in his homeland – with Lyngby, Esbjerg, Denmark U21, and Bröndby, with whom he won the national championship (2021). Under his leadership, the Poznań side have played 77 matches (42 wins, 14 draws, 21 losses). The team’s captain and leader is 32-year-old Swedish forward Mikael Ishak, who has been with Lech since 2020 (207 appearances, 114 goals). Ishak is also the Railwaymen’s top scorer this season, with 24 goals and 7 assists in 38 matches (including 5 goals and 1 assist in 8 UEFA Conference League games). Overall, the squad is highly international, featuring 16 foreign players from 13 different countries (average age is– 24.4 years). The club’s most valuable player, according to Transfermarkt, is 21-year-old Polish defensive midfielder Antoni Kozubal (estimated value is EUR 4 million).
Stadium
Lech’s home ground is the Poznan Stadium, also known as the Municipal Stadium. It was built in 1980, last renovated in 2010, and currently meets UEFA Category 4 standards. The arena has a capacity of around 43,000, making it one of the five largest stadiums in Poland. It hosted 3 group stage matches of Euro 2012, with the Poland national team playing several friendlies there. It is interesting that a new pitch was laid at the stadium shortly before the match against Shakhtar.
Head-to-head record
Shakhtar and Lech will meet for the first time in a competitive match, although the teams have faced each other 4 times in friendly games during winter training camps. In those friendlies, the Orange-and-Blacks won 3 times and drew once. In addition, Shakhtar have played 3 matches against another Polish side – Legia. The Pitmen won twice in the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League qualifiers (1-0 in Donetsk and 3-2 in Warsaw) and lost in the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League (1-2). Lech have faced Ukrainian side Dnipro twice in the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League qualifiers, winning away (1-0) and drawing at home (0-0).
The Lech vs Shakhtar match will be officiated by the judging panel from Norway: referees – Rohit Saggi, assistant referees – Anders Olav Dale and Jørgen Valstadsve. VAR – Kristoffer Hagenes, AVAR – Marius Lien.