Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour being sidelined with Covid-19 won't help underperforming Croatia in their crunch Euro 2020 Group D match on Tuesday, coach Zlatko Dalic said.
The 20-year-old Gilmour, who stood call at Friday's 0-0 draw with England at Wembley in his first start for Scotland, will self-isolate for 10 days in line with health protocols but Dalic said Scotland had many depth in their squad.
"Gilmour played rather well against England but up thereto game he was never a first-choice option and he might not have even started against us," Dalic told a press conference on Monday.
"I don’t see his absence as our advantage because whoever replaces him are going to be a experienced player. Having said that, I wish Gilmour a speedy recovery."
The Croatians and therefore the Scots both have one extra point two games and only a win will do for either side to stay alive any hopes of advancing to the last 16.
England and therefore the Czech Republic , who meet within the group's other match on Tuesday at Wembley, have four points apiece and a attract that game would see both teams clinch automatic berths within the knockout stage.
Croatia, the 2018 World Cup runners-up, were well below par in their 1-0 defeat by England followed by a 1-1 draw with the Czechs and Dalic conceded they faced a troublesome challenge against the Scots at Hampden Park.
"This is our last chance to qualify for the knockout stages and that we need to do everything in our power to form it happen, he said. "Scotland have shown their quality against England but we've to go bent the pitch as favourites.
"We got to twiddling my thumbs and not throw caution to the wind and it doesn’t matter how late we leave it as long as we win."
Winger Ivan Perisic, during a ll|one amongst|one in every of"> one among the few regulars assured of starting against the Scots after drilling in a superb equaliser against the Czechs, was confident.
"We haven't looked the part within the opening two games but we've to forget that now so we will close and once more produce our greatest football under intense pressure," he said.
"The good thing is that Scotland too need to choose a win and that i am optimistic that we've it in us to return out on top."
