Pavlovic ‘unlikely’ to join Serbia squad due to kidney problem

MILAN, ITALY - MAY 24: Strahinja Pavlovic of AC Milan dejected after the Serie A match between AC Milan and Cagliari Calcio at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic is unlikely to join up with the Serbia national team squad for the November international break due to an ongoing issue with his kidney, which has kept him out of the last two matches at club level. 

Pavlovic ‘unlikely’ to join Serbia squad in November, head coach confirms

Pavlovic was one of six Serie A players, along with Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Filip and Aleksandar Stankovic, Lazar Samardzic and Aleksa Terzic, originally summoned by Serbia head coach Veljko Paunovic for Nations League fixtures against Germany Greece coming up this week. 

However, Pavlovic has missed the last two Milan matches with a kidney issue. He was not in the matchday squad for the 2-0 Europa League defeat against Ferencvaros on Thursday, nor the 2-1 win over Genoa in Serie A on Sunday. 

According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Pavlovic will not join up with his international colleagues this month, but Serbia head coach Paunovic has recently hinted that there is still a small possibility he joins at a later date, albeit an ‘unlikely’ scenario. 

“Pavlovic is being monitored because of a kidney problem. We spoke this morning. He needs to have some tests. He might still join up, but it’s unlikely,” said Paunovic on Monday.