Serbia will open their Nations League campaign without two of their most experienced attackers. Dusan Vlahovic has been ruled out due to injury, joining long-term absentee Aleksandar Mitrovic on the sidelines as head coach Veljko Paunovic reshapes his forward line.

A Costly Injury Blow

Vlahović scored in Beşiktaş's recent league match against Amedspor, only to report discomfort afterwards. Examinations pointed to a problem in his right hamstring, with Turkish media reporting that the issue is not considered serious and that he should be sidelined for roughly ten days.

The timing is painful for Serbia, given Vlahovic's form this season: five goals in seven appearances for Besiktas, including a hat-trick against Corum and a goal in the derby against Fenerbahce. He will now miss all four of Serbia's opening Nations League matches, at home to Greece and the Netherlands, then away to Germany and the Netherlands again over the following two weeks.

Mitrovic's absence carries its own weight. Serbia's all-time leading scorer, with 64 goals in 106 caps, has been out since July 2026, leaving Paunovic without either of his two most established finishers for the first time in years.

Who Steps Up in Attack

With both Vlahovic and Mitrovic unavailable, Paunovic's most in-form remaining option is Luka Jovic, who has scored six goals for AEK Athens this season and struck twice in his last match before the international break. Dejan Joveljic, currently with Seattle in MLS, is also in contention after scoring in a recent 3-3 draw against Colorado, alongside Mihajlo Cvetkovic ( Anderlecht) and Jovan Milosevic (Braga). After years built around Mitrovic, Paunovic now faces a genuine decision about who leads the line, with this international window offering an early look at how Serbia's attack might function without either of its long-time focal points.