More to Serbia than just striker Mitrovic, warns Tumbakovic

Serbia boss Ljubisa Tumbakovic has warned Scotland that Aleksandar Mitrovic is not the only dangerman he has ready to shoot down the Tartan Army’s Euro 2020 hopes.

The Fulham striker needs just two goals to equal his country’ s international scoring record having hit 36 in 59 appearances so far.

But Tumbakovic says Steve Clarke will be making a mistake if he thinks the 26- year- old is the only threat when they meet in tonight’s play-off final at the Rajko Mitic Stadium.

“We have no secret aces up our sleeves,” said the Eagles boss.

“Each of the players can do equally as good as Mitrovic can. In the past few months, Mitrovic has been the guy scoring the goals but that doesn’t mean that another player can’t do the same.

“It’s probably the case that our opponents aren’t quite familiar with our players so they will probably try to close down all of them.”

Scotland are aiming to break a 22- year wait to reach a major finals but Tumbakovici sex cited about leading his national team to his first tournament since being appointed last year.

And he has promised to bring C larke’s men to heel.

“Yes it’ s the biggest match of my coaching career ,” said the 68- year old former Partiz an Belgrade boss.

“For someone of my age I’d say that is one of the most important matches I’ve been involved in.

“We have also played a number of matches that have been equally decisive but this has special importance and significance.

“We have been looking at the Scots for a long time and we will do everything possible to bring them under control.

“That ’s part of our strategy and if we’ re successful in this we will without doubt achieve the result we want.”

But Ajax star Dusan Tadic admits the clash is likely to be a tense affair, saying: “In finals there are no favourites, it’s a 50/50 match.

“We love the game, we love the pressure, we love the tension. We’re used to it. Of course we want to win and we’ll do our best to.”

While Clarke’s team are riding a wave of optimism after piecing together an eight-game unbeaten run, it is a much more mixed picture for their opponents, who have not won a game inside 90 minutes in almost a year.

Since edging past minnows Luxembourg 3-2 last November the Serbs have drawn with Ukraine, lost to Russia and Hungary and twice fought out stalemates with Turkey.

However, the one win they did manage was allimportant as last month’s extra-time triumph over Norway in their play-off semi-final stunned Erling Braut Haaland and co and teed up tonight’s winnertakesclash.

Serbia has competed as an independent nation since 2006 following the break up of Yugoslavia and a later split with Montenegro.

They qualified for the World Cups of 2010 and 2018 but failed to make it past the group stages.

Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 36 goals for Serbia.