Cyprus boss Temur Ketsbaia has warned his players they will be facing an English Premier League select when they face Scotland at Hampden on Saturday.
Steve Clarke's side open their Euro 2024 campaign with a home game against Cyprus and will be strong favourites against the Mediterranean island who are 110th in the FIFA Rankings. And former Dundee and Newcastle United star Ketsbaia is under no illusions how difficult the task will be to collect points in Glasgow.
He said: "We are facing a very good team who have most of their players in the English Premier League. We have watched Scotland several times. We are fully aware of what awaits us. We will try our best to get something from the game. It was important to pick a squad full of experience with players who are involved every week with their clubs. As a team, we have our own aims from this group. We have to be completely focused throughout the match.
"Look, realistically, whatever group we were in was always going to be difficult. But I can guarantee we will give 100 per cent in all our matches. We will fight with all our opponents and we won't be an easy game for anyone. I know some players were upset I didn't pick them, but that's a good thing. I want players to be desperate to play for us. My advice for them is to work hard and I will have to pick you."
Meanwhile, Cyprus' Serie A ace Grigoris Kastanos is also expecting a hard opener in Scotland. The 25-year-old Salernitana midfielder said: "Scotland will be a very difficult game for us, It's a very hard place to start.
"But we are going for the win and that's what we are working at in training. We have some good players in the squad. We will work hard and listen to the coach. I think we will surprise a few people in this group."
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