Scott McKenna is out of Scotland's key Nations League fixtures this month after sustaining a back strain in training. The defender will be sidelined for two weeks, ruling him out of the final two games of the campaign.
McKenna missed Dinamo Zagreb's recent league win over Rijeka due to the issue. His club manager, Mario Kovacevic, confirmed the expected layoff. "Scott McKenna will most likely be out for two weeks due to his injury, so he will be out until after the break," Kovacevic said.
The injury creates a defensive headache for Scotland ahead of matches against North Macedonia at Hampden and Switzerland in St Gallen. The team's recent form has been inconsistent, with one win, one draw and two defeats in their last four outings. That run includes the 1-2 home loss to Slovenia earlier this month, a result that highlighted the challenges facing the squad. The sequence began with a 0-0 draw away to Slovenia on 26 September, followed by a heavy 0-3 home defeat to Switzerland on 29 September. The sole win in this period was a 2-0 victory away to FYR Macedonia on 3 October, with Kieron Bowie and John McGinn on the scoresheet.
Scotland's next fixture is a home game against North Macedonia on Saturday 13 November. The sides last met in October, with Scotland securing that 2-0 away victory. The upcoming match offers a chance to build on that positive result and improve upon a recent record of one win, one draw and two defeats.
McKenna is expected to return for Dinamo Zagreb's domestic and European commitments after the international break. His absence leaves a significant gap in Scotland's backline for the decisive Nations League double-header.
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