Euro 2020: Sousa names Poland squad, Grosicki and Szymanski in reserves
Football
By
Reuters
| May 17, 2021
Poland coach Paulo Sousa on Monday named his squad for next month's European Championship that begins on June 11 with winger Kamil Grosicki the biggest name to miss out on the 26-man squad.
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is set to lead the team while 17-year old midfielder Kacper Kozlowski made the cut after making his debut in March. The Portuguese coach also named four reserves.
"I'm enthusiastic and, as I said before, we need unity, faith and confidence from the very beginning," Sousa told reporters.
"Based on the experience from the previous three meetings of the Polish national team, the team I have appointed is the best decision at the moment."
Injured forward Krzysztof Piatek was left out after the Polish FA confirmed last week that the 25-year-old needed surgery after fracturing his ankle with Hertha Berlin while Grosicki only made the reserves list.
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"Kamil has extensive experience and contributed a lot to the national team," Sousa said.
"However, we want to look at a different development path for this team... to be successful. Making this decision was difficult, but I always put my emotions aside."
Attacking midfielder Sebastian Szymanski did not make the cut either and Sousa said his role for his club Dynamo Moscow worked against him.
"We wanted to use him on the right side of the field because he is a talented player. At his club, he plays as a central midfielder, but I have a different concept in the squad," Sousa added.
"I'm counting on him to maintain the pace of development we have seen so far and I believe he will be able to help the team in the future."
Goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki was the 27th name on the list but he has been called up only for their training camp in Opalenica.
Poland are in Group E along with Spain, Sweden and Slovakia. Sousa's side play Slovakia in their opening group game in St Petersburg on June 14.
POLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Lukasz Fabianski, Lukasz Skorupski, Wojciech Szczesny
Defenders: Jan Bednarek, Bartosz Bereszynski, Pawel Dawidowicz, Kamil Glik, Michal Helik, Tomasz Kedziora, Kamil Piatkowski, Tymoteusz Puchacz, Maciej Rybus
Midfielders: Przemyslaw Frankowski, Kamil Jozwiak, Mateusz Klich, Kacper Kozlowski, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Karol Linetty, Jakub Moder, Przemyslaw Placheta, Piotr Zielinski
Forwards: Robert Lewandowski, Dawid Kownacki, Arkadiusz Milik, Karol Swiderski, Jakub Swierczok
Reserves: Rafal Augustyniak, Kamil Grosicki, Robert Gumny, Sebastian Szymanski.