Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes hopes the seven players on international duty will return with a clean bill of health.
There is both pride and trepidation for McInnes with the players currently with their international squads.
Pride the seven are being recognised by their country for strong performances for the Dons.
Yet trepidation about the nightmare scenario of any of his international stars suffering injury while on Nations League or under-21 Euro qualifier duty.
Centre-back Scott McKenna is set to start for Steve Clarke’s Scotland tonight in the behind-closed-door Nations League clash with Israel at Hampden.
The Scots also face Czech Republic away on Monday night.
Wingers Niall McGinn and Matty Kennedy are both in the Northern Ireland squad for the Nations League double header away to Romania tonight and at home against Norway on Monday.
New signing Ross McCrorie, Lewis Ferguson, Dean Campbell and Connor McLennan are set to face Lithuania away on Tuesday for Scotland U21s in a Euro qualifier.
McInnes said: “We have seven players away on international duty and will not see some of them for about 10 days.
“We just hope they all come back with a clean bill of health.
“With the players who are not away on international duty, we will get some good training into them over the next while.
“Hopefully when everyone is back together we can pick up where we left off in our next game (Kilmarnock at Pittodrie, Saturday September 12).”
Aberdeen have suffered injury set-backs during international duty previously with Mikey Devlin ruled out for three months with an ankle injury suffered while training with Scotland in November 2018.
Devlin was set to earn his debut cap in a Nations League clash with Albania, but suffered the injury days before the international.
It ruled the centre-back out of the 1-0 League Cup final defeat to Celtic that season.
Devlin is currently side-lined with a hamstring injury.
With Sam Cosgrove (fractured knee cartilage) and on loan Leeds striker Ryan Edmondson (ankle) ruled out for the next few months McInnes’ plans have already suffered set-backs so early in the season.
He is hoping all seven return to Pittodrie unscathed as the Reds look to continue a winning run going into the Europa League second qualifying round tie at Viking FK.
Aberdeen registered four wins, three in the Premiership and a 6-0 hammering of Faroe Islands’ NSI Runavik in Europe, over a hectic 11 day period before the seven joined up with their countries.
McInnes said: “The international break did not come at an ideal time for us because the season had been a bit stop start so far.
“When they come back I want the whole team to remember how they felt against Hibs (1-0 win).
“That, although they felt absolutely shattered, it was worth it to get that three points.
“When they come back, we can look forward to getting into a rhythm.”
Wingers Kennedy and McGinn are both in the Northern Ireland squad to face Norway at Windsor Park, Belfast on Monday night.
Just 10 days later the duo will face Viking FK in Stavanger with the Dons in Europa League action.
Reward for the winner is an away clash at Sporting Lisbon.
McInnes said: “The incentive for both teams is a mouth-watering tie against Sporting Lisbon.
“I have had a look at a few of Viking FK’s games already and it will be a tough match – but a winnable match.
“The Norwegian league is one we do monitor, so we’re up to date with their players.
“We will look at that in more depth after the Kilmarnock game next week, but we got staff on to looking at Viking FK straight away.”
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