A new era for Scotland begins in Ljubljana on Saturday afternoon, as Sébastien Pocognoli takes charge of the national team for the first time against Slovenia.

The Scots return to League B following relegation in the previous UEFA Nations League, but they do so with a new manager and a significantly refreshed squad following their disappointing World Cup campaign. Slovenia, meanwhile, retained their League B status but enter the competition having won just once in their last 10 matches.

Switzerland and North Macedonia complete Group B1, making Saturday’s meeting at Stadion Stožice an early opportunity for both nations to establish themselves in what looks an open battle behind the Swiss.

Slovenia need to rediscover an attacking threat

Slovenia’s previous Nations League campaign ended positively enough. A 1-0 aggregate playoff victory over Slovakia ensured they remained in League B, and two subsequent friendly wins suggested Matjaž Kek’s side might be capable of building some momentum.

Instead, World Cup qualifying proved hugely disappointing. Slovenia failed to win any of their six qualifiers, drawing four and losing two as Switzerland and Kosovo claimed the top two positions in their group. Most concerning was their lack of attacking output: Slovenia scored only three goals across those six matches.

Their results during 2026 have offered little evidence of a major turnaround. A 3-2 victory over Montenegro is their only win from four friendlies this year, alongside a draw with Cyprus and defeats to Hungary and Croatia.

That leaves Slovenia with just one victory from their last 10 internationals heading into the Nations League. Saturday’s task has also been complicated by the absence of Benjamin Šeško. The Manchester United striker has withdrawn from the squad as he continues to recover from a persistent shin problem. It is a major loss for a side already struggling to score consistently.

Andraž Šporar is consequently in contention to lead the attack, although Zan Vipotnik provides another goalscoring option and could operate close to him. Tomi Horvat offers creativity further forward, while Adam Gnezda Čerin and Timi Max Elšnik should have important roles in midfield.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Slovenia remain considerably more settled. Jan Oblak provides elite-level experience in goal, while Jaka Bijol and Vanja Drkušić offer a strong central defensive partnership. Drkušić has stressed this week that Slovenia have benefited from the unusually long preparation period before their first fixture and have been able to balance tactical work with recovery for players arriving from their clubs.

That defensive structure could be particularly important against a Scotland side still learning the demands of a new coach. Slovenia’s home record also suggests this may be a difficult afternoon for the visitors. Three of their last four matches on home soil have finished level, and their tendency towards low-scoring contests could make the opening goal especially significant.

What Slovenia cannot rely upon is history against Saturday’s opponents. They have never beaten Scotland in five previous meetings, drawing three and losing twice. Scotland have scored seven goals across those games to Slovenia’s three.

Pocognoli begins Scotland rebuild with a much-changed squad

Scotland’s World Cup campaign ultimately ended in disappointment, but reaching the tournament represented another significant achievement during Steve Clarke’s tenure.

After losing their 2025 Nations League playoff against Greece, Scotland responded by winning five of their next seven matches and qualified automatically for the World Cup.

Their stay in North America was brief. A 1-0 victory over Haiti gave Scotland hope, but defeats against Morocco and Brazil resulted in another group-stage exit. Clarke subsequently resigned, bringing an end to a seven-year tenure in which Scotland qualified for two European Championships and finally returned to the World Cup.

Pocognoli now inherits the job, and his first squad makes clear that change has already begun. The Belgian initially selected an expanded group featuring seven uncapped players, with the Scottish FA confirming that 14 members of that squad had not been involved at the World Cup.

Robbie Ure, Luis Binks, Colby Donovan, Josh McPake and Stephen Welsh are among the new faces, while Oli McBurnie has returned to the international setup five years after his previous Scotland appearance.

Further changes have followed. Tierney and McLean withdrew through injury, resulting in a first senior call-up for Blackburn’s 22-year-old midfielder Montgomery. Pocognoli is also without two important Serie A-based attackers. McTominay misses the international window as he continues his recovery following a heart procedure, while Adams is unavailable through injury.

Lawrence Shankland is another attacking absentee. That creates an immediate opportunity for Ure and the recalled McBurnie, with the latter a strong candidate to lead the line in Ljubljana.

One particularly welcome return comes in midfield. Gilmour missed the World Cup after suffering a knee injury but has returned to fitness with Napoli and arrives in camp following an impressive start to the club season. His ability to receive the ball under pressure and dictate possession could be particularly useful as Pocognoli attempts to introduce a different style. There is still plenty of experience around him.

Andy Robertson remains captain, John McGinn should continue to provide the link between midfield and attack, and Aaron Hickey’s availability gives Pocognoli another technically strong option out wide.

The most interesting question is how quickly Scotland can adapt. Pocognoli has had an extended training camp in La Manga before travelling to Slovenia and said on Friday that the squad had been able to work on both the on-field and off-field elements he wanted to address. Saturday will provide the first meaningful indication of what that work looks like in competitive action.

Scotland’s recent away performances should provide some encouragement. They lost only one of their last seven away fixtures before the World Cup, while their previous Nations League campaign included victories on the road against Poland and Greece.

The difficulty is that Pocognoli is attempting to introduce new ideas while simultaneously integrating a large number of unfamiliar players. That makes Slovenia an interesting first opponent. The hosts have struggled badly for goals and are without Šeško, but they remain defensively organised and are unlikely to provide Scotland with much space.

Verdict

There are enough unknowns around Pocognoli’s first Scotland team to make this a difficult opener to assess. The absence of McTominay, Adams, Shankland and Tierney removes considerable experience, while the number of new players in the squad means Scotland may require time to develop the cohesion they enjoyed during the best periods of Clarke’s tenure.

Slovenia have their own, arguably more serious, problem. They failed to win a World Cup qualifier, have managed only one victory from their last 10 matches and must now attempt to improve their attacking output without Šeško.

That should give Scotland an opportunity. With Gilmour back in midfield, Robertson and McGinn providing experience and McBurnie offering a physical focal point, the visitors have enough quality to edge what could be a tight and relatively low-scoring contest.

Tip: Scotland to win