Serbia wraps up a… nightmarish run in the Nations League on Monday when it faces Greece at Panthessaliko Stadium. The “Plavi,” who have suffered five losses in as many matches, will also have to cope with seven absences for the upcoming game.
Veliko Paunović will be without Andrija Živković and Vanya Dragojević, who were sent off in the last match against Germany (1-3), as well as the injured Dušan Vlahović, Strahinja Pavlović, Filip Kostić, Aleksa Terzić, and Aleksandar Stanković.
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It should be noted that this match is not without significance for Serbia, as it is competing with the Czech Republic and Turkey to determine which will be the… least bad of the bottom teams in League A of the Nations League. All three national teams have suffered five losses each. Of these, two will be directly relegated to League B of the Nations League, while one of the three will compete in March in the League A relegation playoffs.
Serbia remains in contention thanks to a better goal differential. Last night, they lost to Germany in Belgrade, but… by only a two-goal margin (1-3). Their overall goal difference stands at -7 (4-11), while the Czech Republic (2-12) and Turkey (3-13) trail by three goals. This puts them on course for direct relegation.
There is one more matchday remaining, after which everything will be decided. On Sunday night, the Czech Republic faces Croatia on the road, while Turkey takes on France. Therefore, before the match against Greece kicks off on Monday night (8:45 p.m.), Serbia will have a clear picture of what it needs to do to qualify for the playoffs. And, as things stand, the “Eagles’” likely opponents in the relegation playoffs will be Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Hungary.
*photo source: AP
