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Ryan Fraser and Grant Hanley withdraw from Scotland squad with injury

Ryan Fraser and Grant Hanley ruled out with hamstring problems; Duo will miss Scotland's Euro 2020 play-off against Serbia on Thursday, which will be shown free-to-air on Sky Pick

Ryan Fraser celebrates scoring for Scotland
Image: Ryan Fraser has sustained a hamstring problem

Ryan Fraser and Grant Hanley will both miss Scotland's crucial Euro 2020 play-off against Serbia after withdrawing from the squad with injury.

Steven Reid, who is part of Scotland boss Steve Clarke's backroom staff, confirmed the news after both Fraser and Hanley sustained hamstring problems.

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Assistant manager Steven Reid admits it is disappointing that Ryan Fraser and Grant Hanley will miss the Euro 2020 play-off against Serbia - but is adamant that the squad remains more than strong enough to secure qualification.

Fraser missed Newcastle's 2-0 defeat at Southampton on Friday with the issue, while Hanley was ruled out of Norwich's 1-0 victory at home to Swansea a day later.

Hanley - who has 30 caps for his country - had been called up to the Scotland squad for the first time in more than two years, while Fraser was looking to add to his 14 international appearances.

The news comes as a blow to Scotland, who will travel to Belgrade this week knowing that a victory over Serbia in their one-legged play-off will see them qualify for their first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup.

As well as missing Thursday's game at the Crvena Zvezda Stadium, Fraser and Hanley will also be unavailable for Scotland's Nations League fixtures away to Slovakia on Sunday and Israel on November 18.

Live Euro 2020 Qualifiers

Assistant head coach Reid said: "Ryan and Grant Hanley at the moment are struggling.

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"It's disappointing. Grant has missed a little bit of football and unfortunately is not going to be with us, and Ryan as well.

"He performed really well in the past camp, so that is a blow, but we have got strength in depth.

"We have obviously bigger numbers than usual and feel as if we have a squad which is capable of competing well at our strongest in the Serbia game and going into the two Nations League games after."

Scotland's preparations last month were hit by a positive Covid-19 test for Stuart Armstrong, which also took Ryan Christie and Kieran Tierney out of the squad.

Clarke also lost players through injury and suspension during the triple-header but his team still managed to record a hat-trick of wins, against Israel in the play-off semi-final and over Slovakia and Czech Republic in the Nations League.

Grant Hanley of Norwich City warms up prior to the FA Cup Fifth Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on March 04, 2020 in London, England
Image: Norwich's Grant Hanley will miss the upcoming Scotland matches due to injury

Reid added; "What has been pleasing in the last couple of camps is, despite the injuries and the issues with the Covid situation, the lads that stepped up were first class - and that's going to be the same going into all of these games as well.

"If there was to be an issue, we have players who have stepped in and stepped up to the plate.

"Going into this game, there's players who have played a lot more games, who are getting up to a bit more match speed.

"The squad is still strong. I have not been in a squad yet with Grant, so he has not been part of it for a little while anyway.

"It's still a shame he is missing out but it's still a squad more than capable of getting a result.

"And the motivation and the prize at the end of it is hopefully going to take us up to another level of performance."

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Kenny McLean scored the penalty that sent Scotland through to Thursday's Euro 2020 play-off against Serbia - and the Norwich man thinks everything is coming together nicely for the Scots.

UEFA: No plans to change Euro 2020 format

UEFA say it has no plans yet to change the format of Euro 2020 amid reports it is considering moving next summer's tournament to Russia.

European football's governing body decided in March to postpone the tournament by 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, but has so far stood by the 12-city format it had originally devised.

French newspaper Le Parisien reported that installing Russia, which hosted the World Cup in 2018, as sole host for the finals was one option being considered by UEFA, with infection rates rising again across the continent.

While UEFA has not ruled out changing the format, it said in a statement that it currently had no plans to do so.

"UEFA intends to hold Euro 2020 in the format and the venues confirmed earlier this year and we are working closely with all host cities on preparations," the statement read.

"Given the uncertainties surrounding Covid - over which neither UEFA nor the local organising bodies have control - it is currently too early to say whether those games in June and July will have restrictions either on fans or even their staging."

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