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John McGinn
Scotland have not lost since the World Cup group stage in June, but they have also barely won anything worth calling form. Slovenia have won once in their last four. Whether a Scotland side under a brand new manager can turn a run of low-key results into an actual victory in Ljubljana is the real question here, and Saturday's Nations League opener will start to answer it.
Follow the build-up and result on the match page.
Sébastien Pocognoli takes charge of Scotland for the first time on Saturday, brought in after Steve Clarke's exit following Scotland's group-stage departure from the World Cup in June. His first squad is a mix of the familiar and the new: Andy Robertson, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn, Angus Gunn and Ben Gannon-Doak all keep their places, alongside seven uncapped players in a 28-man group.
It is not a full-strength selection. Scott McTominay was left out as he recovers from a heart procedure, Che Adams is injured, and both Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean withdrew after picking up injuries of their own. A new manager trying to stamp an identity on his side away from home, with several first-choice names missing, is not the easiest starting point.
Slovenia's own preparation has been disrupted. Benjamin Sesko, their most prominent forward, has withdrawn from the squad with a recurring shin injury and will miss the whole international window. He is joined on the sidelines by Niko Prelc and Zan Zaletel, with Petar Stojanovic already missing through a separate injury. Zan Celar and Jure Balkovec have come in as replacements.
Losing your first-choice striker before a home Nations League opener is a real blow, not a footnote, and it changes what Slovenia can realistically do in the final third on Saturday.
Slovenia
Scotland
