Jovanovic on adaptability, Scots' experience & missing 'key' players
Greece manager Ivan Jovanovic has been speaking to the media before his side's Nations League play-off first leg against Scotland on Thursday night in Athens. Here are the key points from his press conference:Jovanovic doesn't think there's too much difference between the sides, but says Scotland have more experience of playing at a higher level, given they've played in League A and appeared at the last two Euros. Says Scotland have "a lot of quality players, especially in midfield". Recent results against Portugal, Croatia and Poland in their group shows the level they can compete at. Impressed Steve Clarke's side can "alter their play depending on opponent".On preparing to face Scotland four times this year, he says they will "all be interesting matches" and difficult games for both sides. On being without captain Tasos Bakasetas, who's injured, Jovanovic admits "missing key players is a concern".Konstantinos Karetsas, 17, who represented Belgium at youth level, "is a player we've followed for a while", and says the midfielder has made "an emotional decision" to chose Greece.
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North Wales Chronicle
44 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
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The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Belgium will be ‘shaking in boots' ahead of Wales game in Cardiff
The Red Devils, ranked eighth in the world, let slip a three-goal lead before Kevin De Bruyne spared home blushes with an 88th-minute winner. Sorba Thomas (left) battles for the ball with Belgium's Jeremy Doku in Brussels (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP) The return fixture is in Cardiff on October 13 and new Stoke signing Thomas said of Belgium: 'That's a team that is top 10. People will say 'little old Wales' but we took the game to them. 'They're going to be shaking in their boots when they come to Cardiff to play us. We're hungry, we're a young group. 'I felt when it went to 3-3 it was in our hands. But it's a devastating game, football is a horrible sport sometimes. (Against) top 10 in the world and we feel we should have walked away with a win.' Wales seemed to be heading for a humiliating night when Romelu Lukaku, Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku struck inside the opening 27 minutes. Brennan Johnson (second right) celebrates with team-mates after scoring Wales' third goal against Belgium (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP) There was a party atmosphere inside the King Baudouin Stadium as home supporters began a Mexican wave. Thomas said: 'Them behaving like that put it down to the pitch. The players got relaxed and we punished that. 'They might have been doing the Mexican wave but they weren't doing it when it went to 3-3. 'They're entitled to do what they want, but we deal with what's on the pitch. The whole game shifted. 'They countered us a few times, but I felt we played their big players well. 'We're a young team and we're going places. That's one loss in 10. We'll learn from this and get better and better.' After Harry Wilson converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time, winger Thomas scored his first Wales goal and then set up Brennan Johnson's equaliser to cap a memorable week. The 26-year-old also started Friday's 3-0 victory over Liechtenstein and the following day left Huddersfield to join Stoke on a three-year deal. Sorba is a Stokie 🔴⚪ — Stoke City FC (@stokecity) June 7, 2025 'Personally it's been one heck of a week,' said Thomas, who has spent the season on loan at Ligue 1 club Nantes. 'I've secured my future and got my first Wales goal. I hope my family all watching at home were proud. 'I've loved my time at Huddersfield. They took me from non-league and made my dreams reality to play for Wales and put me in this moment. 'To get it (the move) done early was important because I can focus on my football. 'I want to play well in the Championship every week next season and give the manager a headache to keep putting me in the team.'
