Scotland Women's Football Team

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Budapest

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Pedro Martinez Losa is back to where it all began as Scotland head coach.

The Spaniard took charge of the national team for the first time just over three years ago here in Hungary.

It was a 2-0 win in a World Cup qualifier, and how he and his side would love a similar result in Friday's Euro 2025 round one play-off first leg.

"It brings back good memories," Martinez Losa told BBC Scotland.

"It's been three years of a lot of work, good, very positive things and we're in a better position now to face the next challenge."

That next challenge is making it past Hungary over two legs to advance to round two, the final hurdle standing between Scotland and next summer's finals in Switzerland.

Scotland have a decent recent record against their opponents, with no member of this squad ever suffering defeat to them. Another trend they will be keen to keep up.

However, Martinez Losa is under no illusions of the task at hand, albeit Hungary are under new stewardship, with 32-year-old former midfielder Alexandra Szarvas having taken charge in March.

"With a new coach comes fresh ideas probably, but the last Nations League campaign was good for them," the Spaniard said.

"They lost against Belgium but now they are rebuilding all these ideas after competing well in qualifiers. I am sure they will be very prepared, a play-off is always a great to showcase."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Budapest

Image source, SNS

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa has been speaking to BBC Scotland before Friday's Euro 2025 round one play-off first leg against Hungary in Budapest.

Here are the key lines:

• He has "good memories" of his last game here - a 2-0 win that began his Scotland tenure in September 2021.

• Scotland are in "a better position" than where they were back then.

• Hungary, under new management, have "fresh ideas" and will be a competitive threat.

• Martinez Losa has a selection headache with a healthier squad and said it is "the most difficult part of the job".

• He refused to confirm if Caroline Weir will captain Scotland on Friday night, though says she is "an option" alongside fellow vice-captain Claire Emslie.

Scotland captain Rachel Corsie - who will miss the matches through injury - is "nervous" about the nation's upcoming Euro 2025 play-off against "difficult" Hungary.

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Scotland boss Pedro Martinez Losa says Caroline Weir's return to the squad after a lengthy lay-off is an "emotional" moment for her and her teammates.

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Pedro Martinez Losa says leading Scotland to Euro 2025 would be "the highlight" of his career.

The first leg of Scotland's play-off against Hungary is on 25 October and although the manager has the likes of Emma Watson and Caroline Weir returning to his squad, he will be without captain Rachel Corsie.

If they emerge victorious over the two legs against Hungary, they will face either Montegro or Finland for a spot at next summer's Euros in Switzerland.

"Obviously there's four games that have to be played at the end and we don't know the outcome yet but I’m totally convinced these players can make it," Martinez Losa said.

"For me it will mean probably one of the highlights of my career in terms of football, in terms of transmitting all my knowledge, my experience to a group of players, but not just a group of players but to inspire a nation and I can't wait to play the Euros to be honest.

"Our conversations with the players were always, if we qualify, I think we can be a much better team. I think we can be a team that continues the development, we could express well on the pitch and we could compete at a good level but that's the ultimate objective."

Head coach Pedro Martinez Losa says midfielder Caroline Weir's return to the Scotland squad will be "emotional".

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa has been speaking to the media after announcing his squad for the upcoming Euro 2025 play-off against Hungary.

Here are the main points from his press conference:

• Says it's great to have Caroline Weir back in the squad, and believes she will be fit to start the game, having played for club Real Madrid this season.

• Admits that her return will be emotional for her and the squad but she brings energy and confidence to the side.

• Emma Watson has been training and playing for Manchester United's youth side and is in contention to start for Scotland but they will evaluate that when she's with the squad.

• Believes having these "key players" back will help the squad, and insists their talent will help in the final third where Scotland have struggled at times in recent games.

• On hopefully leading Scotland to the Euros, he says it would be the "highlight of his career" and he believes this squad can achieve that and can compete at a good level if they get there.

• On captain Rachel Corsie missing out, Martinez Losa stresses she will be a "big loss" on and off the pitch but acknowledges it gives others an opportunity to step up. Admits he hasn’t decided who will captain the side in her absence.

• Martinez Losa has been impressed by Shannon MacGregor since her move to Celtic and says she has "evolved as a player". Says it is exciting being able to give her an opportunity to prove herself with the national side.

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Captain Rachel Corsie insists she will be getting along to watch Scotland as a fan while out injured.

The Aston Villa defender is sidelined until early December after knee surgery and will miss Scotland's upcoming Euro 2025 play-off against Hungary.

Although disappointed to be missing out, the 35-year-old intends to cheer on her team-mates from the stands.

"Since we've known who our opponents were there's been a good anticipation for the games," Corsie said on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"Everyone has wanted to start the season well because everyone knows there's some big opportunities around the corner.

"That [injury] is really disappointing, I've worked hard to be available for the national team so it's always tough to have to make that phone call to the manager.

"I will still plan to get along to the games and be in the stands for the home games."

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Captain Rachel Corsie will miss Scotland's Euro 2025 play-off with Hungary this month after undergoing knee surgery.

The 35-year-old defender's club, Aston Villa, confirmed Corsie has undergone a "routine" knee operation that will keep out of action for eight weeks.

Scotland's first leg against Hungary takes place in Budapest on 25 October (17:15 BST), before the return on 29 October at Easter Road (19:35).

If Pedro Martinez Losa's side progress, they will face either Montenegro or Finland for a place in next summer's tournament in Switzerland.

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Vorskla Poltava stand between Celtic and reaching the Women's Champions League group stage for the first time, with the Ukrainian side hoping to make the same history themselves.

Natalya Zinchenko's side were seeded for the "champions path" section of Monday's draw courtesy of being 29th in Uefa's co-efficient table, 53 places above Celtic.

But it was one of the kindest draws the Scottish champions could have had, avoiding five teams ranked between 10 and 17 in Europe, with only the Netherlands' Twente ranked below their Ukrainian counterparts.

It should also be pointed out that Gintra, who Celtic beat 2-0 in Lithuania to qualify from their first-round group tournament, were themselves rated 36 spots ahead of the Glasgow side.

The higher ranking is largely because, while Celtic clinched their first national title last season, Vorskla Poltava have won theirs four more times since their first in 2016.

Not all those were under their current name as, until 2022, they were known as Zhytlobud-2 Kharkiv before changing title - and moving 89 miles south west to a different city further from the border with Russia.

They have played Scottish opposition once previously, under their previous name, drawing 1-1 with Hibernian in the 2017 Champions League league qualification group stage when the Edinburgh side finished second behind hosts Olimpia Cluj of Romania.

Indeed, under both guises, they have only progressed beyond the qualifying rounds once - before losing to Shymkent of Kazakhstan in the round of 32 three years ago.

Former Ukraine midfielder Zinchenko has been team boss since 2021, the 44-year-old having spent the previous three years as national head coach.

Eleven of her squad are part of Volodymyr Pyatenko's current Ukraine set-up, including 60-times capped attacking midfielder Yana Kalinina.

They currently lie second on goal difference behind Metalist 1925 Kharkiv after winning their opening four games of their new Premier League season.

Meanwhile, they set up their meeting with Celtic by easing aside Latvian side Riga 5-0 before beating mini qualifying tournament hosts Ferencvaros 2-0 in Hungary, with Ukraine defender Kateryna Korsun scoring twice in the semi-final and once in the final.

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Caroline Weir scored twice on her return for Real Madrid in their 5-0 victory over Espanyol.

The midfielder also grabbed an assist on her first start since rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament.

The Scotland international has been sidelined for almost a year with the injury picked up in the nations league match against Belgium back in September 2023.

She returned to competitive action for club Real and scored two goals in the space of 20 minutes to help the Spanish giants to a huge victory.

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"Fantastic leader" Rachael Boyle has been named the new captain of Hibernian, following the retirement of Joelle Murray.

Boyle, who joined from Aberdeen in 2016, has played at integral part in the club's domestic cup success, despite her spell in the capital being disturbed by injury.

But Boyle continually bounced back, and did so from her pregnancy, too.

Such qualities made it a "very natural decision," according to manager Grant Scott.

“I’ve worked with Rachael before, she is a fantastic leader and I think her status as the player she was before injury and pregnancy, she has the respect of the group," said Scott.

"It was a very natural decision for us to give that honour to Rachael."

On her appointment, the Scotland international added, “It’s a huge honour, especially following after the legend that is Joelle. It’s going to be a hard role to fill with her going into the coaching staff, but it’s a role that I feel I’m ready to step up and take on.

"I want to be that figure that the girls can turn to if they have any problems but also be that leader on and off the pitch that they can follow.

"I like to think whether I’m named captain or not I’m still a leader and we’ve got a number of leaders in the squad too that makes my role that bit easier.”

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"It’s new, but it doesn’t feel different."

Former Glasgow City manager Scott Booth has returned to the club as first team assistant coach to his former captain, Leanne Ross.

Booth first joined the club in 2015 and led the side to six consecutive SWPL titles during their 15-year dominance.

Since departing Petershill Park, the former Scotland international coached in the Women’s Super League with Birmingham City and in the Championship with Lewes.

On his return to a, "club that I have always loved," Booth said, “football’s got a funny way of doing something that you don’t really expect".

“The opportunity to come back home, to be closer to my family and be part of a club that I have always loved is something I am grateful for as you don’t always get that opportunity to return to a place where you have had so many amazing memories.”

Most of those memories were shared with Ross, who he added he has, "always got on [with], had honesty within [the] relationship and trust her experience and knowledge".

Ross too expressed her excitement at working with her former manager again.

“We know each other really well," the SWNT assistant coach said.

"We have respect for one another and I feel he is somebody that will come in and not just challenge me but also support me in making the decisions needed as we look to compete for trophies over the course of the season.”

“He is somebody that has immense experience in the women’s game and, importantly, he is also somebody who knows this club really well and I’m excited to be working with him again.”

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Scotland international Christy Grimshaw has been handed the AC Milan captain's for the upcoming campaign.

The midfielder joined the Italian side in 2020 and has since gone on to make 99 appearances, the most by a foreign player for the club's women's side, while scoring 14 goals.

The 28-year-old recently extended her stay in Milan until 2027.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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So, Scotland now know who stands between them and a place at next summer's European Championships in Switzerland.

After sailing through their Group B2 qualifying campaign, the Scots knew they would be seeded for Round One of the play-offs taking place later this year.

Earlier on today they were drawn against Hungary - an appealing draw for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, the travel, and therefore recovery. Due to the tight turnaround in fixtures - the first leg is on Friday, with the second leg on Tuesday - Pedro Martinez Losa and his side will be delighted to avoid a trek to Azerbaijan or Turkey.

A shorter trip to Hungary, one they took just last month when they played Israel, will allow for a recovery day on Saturday, before attention turns to the home tie at Hampden.

Secondly, the Scots have a decent record against Hungary in recent times.

Three years ago they were in the same qualification group for the 2023 World Cup, and Scotland twice came out on top.

Add in that Hungary finished third in Group B1 with two wins, one draw and three defeats, there will be plenty of optimism among the Scotland ranks they can negotiate their way into Round Two.

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From excitement to revenge.

Should Scotland get by Hungary, they'll then face either Montenegro or Finland, and if it's the latter, there would no need to get the girls hyped up for it.

Finland, managed then by former Scotland head coach Anna Signeul, ended the Scots' hopes of reaching Euro 2022 with a 1-0 win at Easter Road back in 2020.

Since then, they've faced each other twice.

Last summer, Scotland won a friendly 2-1; Caroline Weir marked her 100th cap with a goal and Emma Watson netted her third international goal in four games. Both are still out with ACL injuries, but they will be pushing to make the play-offs.

The Finns also pipped Scotland on penalties to edge this year's Pinatar Cup, but the Scots have improved drastically since then.

Clean sheets are being kept, goals are being scored and smiles are back on faces.

There will no doubt be a few grins looking at these games, knowing Scotland have a serious chance of dining once again at Europe's top table.