Vlahovic misses Germany and Greece games, three more out
Coach Veljko Paunovic would not explain Vlahovic's absence, and Pavlovic, Terzic and Kostic are also out ahead of the games that decide Serbia's place in League A.
Veljko Paunovic wrote the names of 29 players on a blackboard at his old primary school on November 3, with the help of the pupils. By November 10, four of them had dropped off the list: Dusan Vlahovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, Aleksa Terzic and Filip Kostic. The first three were confirmed through the coach at a press conference on Monday, November 9, and Kostic pulled out a day later.
The games against Germany and Greece decide whether Serbia stays in League A of the Nations League.
What did Paunovic say about Vlahovic?
Vlahovic, a Besiktas striker, told the coach that a private situation means he cannot join the squad. Paunovic did not want to go into detail and pointed reporters to the player himself:
“The third player who will not play is Dusan Vlahovic. In our conversation he told me he has a private situation that he wants to resolve in this period and that he needs time. That is all I can say, it would not be right for me to put words in his mouth. You should ask him, if he is ready to answer.”
The coach added that the striker would have been a big help to the team: “I think it would have helped us a lot to have him with us.”
Vlahovic (26) was on the list as a forward, alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic, Luka Jovic and Mihajlo Cvetkovic. He last played for Serbia on November 13, 2025, against England, and missed the previous camp through injury. At club level he has played without interruption: on Sunday he scored twice against Genclerbirligi, and according to Serbian media he has nine goals for Besiktas this season.
Who else is Paunovic missing?
In the order the coach listed them:
- Aleksa Terzic, a left back, had an infection that left his blood count poor, and he has not played for his club either
- Strahinja Pavlovic (Milan) took a blow to the kidney area, is under medical observation and is waiting for further tests
- Filip Kostic (PSV) pulled out because of injury and did not show up for training on November 10
On Terzic and Pavlovic, Paunovic said:
“Aleksa Terzic was the first to call, he had an inflammation, an infection that left his blood count very bad, that is what the club told us, and he needs a longer recovery. The second is Strahinja Pavlovic, who is under observation because of a blow he took to the kidney. He most likely will not be there, I would love it if by some miracle he still joined us.”
Miljan Krpic of Gyor was called up later in place of Pavlovic. Kostic’s absence complicates the left side further, since Terzic is also out. The coach is expected to look for a solution among the under-21 players, and Stefan Bukinac has been mentioned as an option in that position in earlier games. No name has been confirmed.
Nemanja Maksimovic and Sasa Lukic also cannot play against Germany, both because of yellow card suspensions. They are available again for the trip to Greece.
Why did Paunovic leave out Andrija Maksimovic and Rajkovic?
Andrija Maksimovic, who is not on the list, also came up at the press conference. Paunovic said he needs to play for the under-21 team because he gets too few minutes at his club, and that this is the reason:
“We did not see his readiness to play for the young national team.”
He sharpened his answer: “We cannot beg anyone.” Then once more, with an exclamation mark: “I decide who plays. Me!”
Goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic (Al Ittihad), who has 44 caps for Serbia, was not called up this time either. Sport Klub reported on October 31 that he had reportedly withdrawn from the national team. There is no official confirmation, and the goalkeeper did not want to comment on the reports.
The federation and a personal loss for the coach
At the same press conference Paunovic also spoke about his relationship with the leadership of the Football Association of Serbia. “We have not had a chance to meet since November 1,” he said. He also mentioned a difficult week behind him: “It has been a hard week for me, my older brother Aleksandar has passed away…”
When does Serbia play?
Serbia hosts Germany on Friday, November 13, at 8:45 pm at the Rajko Mitic stadium. Because of a sanction imposed on the federation, only children are allowed in the stands. Three days later, on November 16 at 8:45 pm, Serbia travel to Greece in Volos for the last round of the group.
