Scotland concern as Serie A star suffers injury while fellow international embroiled in La Liga controversy

Scotland are facing an injury sweat over Che Adams after the Torino striker limped off during his side's 1-0 home defeat to Fiorentina on Sunday.

Adams lasted just 17 minutes of the Serie A match in Turin before being forced off the pitch with an apparent muscle injury to his left thigh. The 28-year-old has enjoyed a fine start to life in the Italian top flight with four goals in nine starts for Il Toro since making the move from Southampton in the summer transfer window. He will now undergo a scan to determine the extent of his injury but his participation in the derby against Juventus next weekend is now in serious jeopardy.

He is also now a major doubt for Scotland's upcoming Nations League double-header against Croatia and Poland with head coach Steve Clarke due to name his squad on Monday. Scotland host Croatia at Hampden on Friday, November 15 before travelling to Poland for their concluding Group A1 fixture on Monday, November 18.

Che Adams of Torino leaves the field with a injury during the Serie A match against Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico di Torino. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Elsewhere in Serie A, Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay suffered their first defeat with Napoli after the league leaders went down 3-0 at home to Atalanta. A first-half double from Ademola Lookman and a late third from substitute Mateo Retegui did the damage as Atalanta moved to within three points of top spot. Both Scots started the match at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona with Gilmour replaced on 62 minutes while McTominay completed the full 90 minutes.

It marked the end of a 10-match unbeaten run for Napoli and is the the first time the club has lost since the arrival of the Scotland duo with the club's previous defeat, 3-0 away at Verona, taking place on the opening day of the season, before McTominay and Gilmour had completed their transfers from Manchester United and Brighton respectively. The result also adds further perspective to Celtic's recent Champions League draw in Bergamo and how well they did to keep a clean sheet against the top scorers in Serie A so far this season, with Atalanta notching 29 goals in 11 matches.

Scott McTominay of Napoli battles for possession with Sead Kolasinac of Atalanta. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Meanwhile, Las Palmas defender Scott McKenna was embroiled in VAR controversy during a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Sunday. Goals from Giuliano Simeone in the 37th minute and Alexander Sorloth seven minutes from time secured three points for the hosts after they had been denied a penalty for an apparent handball against the Scotland defender while the match was still goalless.

McKenna's outstretched hand connected with a cross from Antoine Griezmann as he challenged Julián Alvarez in the box. Atletico boss Diego Simeone was seen wildly claiming for a penalty on the sidelines and VAR duly instructed referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea to take a second look on the pitchside monitor. This would normally result in a penalty being awarded, however, much to the dismay of the home side, the Spanish whistler stuck with his onfield decision in a remarkable let-off for the former Aberdeen defender.

Las Palmas defender Scott McKenna challenges Atletico Madrid forward Julien Alvarez during the La Liga match at the Metropolitano stadium. (Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Speaking on Premier Sports, Spanish football journalist Graham Hunter, a Dons supporter who hails from Scotland, said: "I'm delighted for [McKenna] it wasn't a penalty but I couldn't explain to you why it wasn't a penalty." McKenna started and finished his third La Liga match in succession since returning from a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the most recent Scotland camp in October. He has now made eight appearances for Las Palmas since making the summer move from Nottingham Forest including back-to-back wins over Valencia and Girona prior to the defeat in Madrid.

Speaking to SportyTV afterwards, McKenna admitted he was to blame for Atletico’s second goal. “It was obviously tough. Two lapses in concentration cost us the goals at crucial times in the game. The first one was a ball over the top and there should have maybe been a bit more cover and the second one is my fault. I should have followed the run of Sorloth. Instead I’ve tried to play offside and it cost us in the end.”

McKenna’s Las Palmas team-mate and fellow countryman Oli McBurnie, who was last capped in 2021, came off the bench in the 64th minute but is still awaiting his first La Liga goal after what was his 12th appearance for the Gran Canaria outfit.