Verdict: Genk win
Best Odds: 3/5
Bookmaker: Luckster
Simply looking to officially punch their Europa League group stage ticket with another flurry on Thursday night, Genk will welcome Lech to the Cegeka Arena.
Genk
Starting with the hosts, putting in what was a sensational first-leg performance on foreign soil last week, Genk will be looking to punch their Europa League group stage ticket with another statement. Eventually storming their way to a sensational 5-1 romp in Poland, Thorsten Fink’s side hold what is a dominant advantage when they return to the Cegeka Arena on Thursday night. Despite struggling to find any real domestic stability since opening up the 2025/26 campaign, the Blues have turned a recent corner. Securing a 2-1 win against Leuven, Genk have registered consecutive victories for the first time this season. Finding a real clinical edge over in Poland last week, the one-time Basel boss will be dreaming of a repeat performance here.
Genk Team News
Both still dealing with respective injury issues, Genk are once again expected to be without the duo of Hendrik Van Crombrugge and former Venezia midfielder Daan Heymans on Thursday night. Completing a permanent switch from French outfit Reims last month, Japanese international Junya Ito could make his full Genk debut here.
Opening his Europa League account in Poland last week, one-time Celtic striker Hyeon-Gyu Oh will lead the line at Cegeka Arena. Reportedly attracting plenty of Premier League interest over the summer, 21-year-old Matte Smets will start at the heart of Fink’s defence.
Lech
As for the visitors, blown away on home soil last week as they slumped to that nightmare 5-1 drumming, Lech are now seeking a major Europa League miracle on Thursday night. Despite making real history last season as they clinched a ninth domestic crown, Niels Frederiksen’s side have come crashing back down to earth in a worrying fashion this time around. Only mustering seven points from their first four Ekstraklasa appearances, the Railwaymen have come under some recent scrutiny. Watching their Champions League dreams go up in smoke earlier in the month as they fell to a 4-2 aggregate defeat against Red Star, Lech have now failed to win any of their previous four appearances across all competitions and they look set for another stern examination in midweek.
Lech Team News
Dealing with what has become a major injury crisis, Lech will once again be without the likes of Patrik Walemark, Radoslaw Murawski, Ali Gholizadeh and Swiss midfielder Elias Andersson on Thursday night.
Notching three goals in his first four domestic appearances since opening up the 2025/26 campaign, former Nurnberg striker Michael Ishak will lead the line here. Completing a summer switch from Jagiellonia, Mateusz Skrzypczak will start at the heart of Lech’s defence in midweek.
Genk vs Lech Key Factors to Consider
- When Genk and Lech met for their first-leg showdown over in Poland last week, Thursday’s hosts stormed their way to a stellar 5-1 victory.
- Genk have recorded back-to-back wins across all competitions for the first time since opening up the 2025/26 campaign.
- Lech have failed to win any of their previous four appearances across all formats.
- Continuing on from last season, all of Genk’s previous seven competitive matchups have finished with both teams finding the net.
- Lech have mustered just a single clean sheet across any competition since the end of May.
Conclusion
Putting in what was a sensational first-leg performance on foreign soil last week as they stormed their way to that sensational 5-1 romp, Genk will be looking to officially punch their Europa League group stage ticket with another statement. Securing consecutive victories across all competitions for the first time since opening up the 2025/26 campaign, Thursday’s hosts are rightfully installed as a standout contender. Meeting a Lech squad who find themselves at the heart of a real struggle, we are backing a home victory in midweek.
Verdict: Genk win
Best Odds: 3/5
Bookmaker: Luckster
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