Brazil’s football association has come up with a very special kind of return coach. Several Brazilian soccer stars are unlikely to be allowed to play for their teams on the upcoming matchday of the English Premier League. Other associations also followed Brazil’s example. The reason is a rule of FIFA, which the Brazilian Football Association refers to.
Accordingly, players can be banned for a five-day period if their clubs do not allow them to participate in international matches with their national team. At first it was unclear whether the clubs wanted to take action against the measure. The suspended players include Thiago Silva from Chelsea, goalkeeper Alisson from Liverpool and Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City.
The Premier League clubs agreed at the end of August not to send players off for World Cup qualifiers in countries that are on the British government’s red list due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trouble at national associations over English
After their return, the players would have to go into quarantine for ten days and would not be available to their clubs for that long. The league’s decision had caused anger among the national associations concerned.
Brazil now made use of the FIFA rule, according to consistent media reports. Fred (Manchester United), Ederson (Man City), Raphinha (Leeds United), Roberto Firmino and Fabinho (Liverpool) are also affected by the suspension. On top of that, Silva and Fred will miss their teams at the Champions League opener next week.
Exception for Olympic champion Richarlison
Everton’s Richarlison is said to not be banned because the “Toffees” allowed him to participate in the Olympic Games, although they were not required to do so. Richarlison won gold with the Olympic selection of the “Selecao”.
Not only Brazilian players are temporarily banned. The Mexican Raul Jimenez (Wolverhampton Wanderers), the Paraguayan Miguel Almiron (Newcastle United) and the Chilean Francisco Sierralta (Watford FC) will probably not be allowed to play at the weekend because their national associations have taken appropriate steps.
