With the backing of their supporters, Greece will be looking for the necessary boost to secure a victory. The goal in this new competitive challenge, in front of a full house at Karaiskakis, is to defeat Scotland (Thursday, 21:45, Novasports Prime and ALPHA) in the first leg of the two-legged playoff for a place in League A of the Nations League.

Head coach Ivan Jovanovic will have to make adjustments due to the absence of Kourbelis and Bakasetas and is expected to tweak the starting lineup compared to previous matches, while likely sticking to the 4-2-3-1 formation.

Some players are almost certain to start, including Tsimikas, Koulierakis, Mavropanos, and Rota in the backline, with Siopis anchoring the midfield. Meanwhile, the impressive form of Tzolakis could tempt Jovanovic to start him over Vlachodimos in goal, though the chances of this are slim.

In midfield, Zafeiris is a strong candidate to partner with Siopis, with Mantalos positioned ahead of them. On the wings, Masouras and Tzolis are expected to feature, while up front, either Ioannidis or Pavlidis will lead the attack. There’s also a possibility of Ioannidis playing behind Pavlidis in a slightly deeper role. Additional attacking and midfield options include Mouzakitis, Konstantelias, Pelkas, Douvikas, as well as Karetsas—who recently made his debut—and Fountas.

On the other hand, Scotland is likely to approach the match in a 5-3-2 formation, according to Scottish journalists. Gordon is expected to start in goal, with captain Andy Robertson on the left flank—where he will face his Liverpool teammate Kostas Tsimikas. The three center-backs will likely be McKenna, Hendry, and Souttar, with Tierney positioned on the right.

In midfield, McLean, Gilmour, and McGinn will form the core, while McTominay is set to partner with Adams up front in Scotland’s attacking setup.