International stars get go-ahead to play some of their nations’ games

BUT BOTH SOYUNCU AND DAKA MISS MATCHES IN RED-LIST COUNTRIES

LEICESTER City’s international players will be able to play some of their nation’s fixtures this international break – despite the risk of missing Premier League games.

The Premier League and its 20 clubs, including City, initially ruled players out from representing their countries if they were on the UK’s red list.

No exemptions have been afforded to players, and so upon returning from red-list countries, they would have to isolate for 10 days in the UK, missing three fixtures, two in the Premier League and one in the Europa League.

Turkey’s Caglar Soyuncu and Zambia’s Patson Daka were both affected, as their countries are on the red list, but so too were Nigeria’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, and Ghana’s Daniel Amartey, as they had away games in red-list countries.

After much debate, a decision was finally reached that players could feature for their countries in matches as long as they did not go to red-list countries.

Some players have defied those rules though, including Aston Villa’s Argentinian duo Emiliano Martinez and Emi Buendia, and will have to shield for 10 days on their return.

While Soyuncu, right, missed last night’s game between Turkey and Montenegro in Istanbul, he will be able to play in their World Cup qualifiers against Netherlands and

Gibraltar.

That’s also true for

Daka, who can play in

Zambia’s trip to Mauritania tomorrow, but not in their home game against Tunisia next week.

Iheanacho, Ndidi and Amartey will all be able to play in their countries’ home fixtures.

The quintet affected by the coronavirus restrictions are five of 11 senior players City have on international duty.

Belgian duo Youri Tielemans and Timothy Castagne are part of Roberto Martinez’s squad, Papy Mendy, despite not featuring for City this season, is in the Senegal team, while goalkeepers Danny Ward and Kasper Schmeichel played for Wales and Denmark respectively last night.

Left-back Luke Thomas has been included in the England Under-21 squad for the first time.

Three more players were called up for their countries, but

Ricardo

Pereira, Jonny Evans and Jannik Vestergaard all had to pull out through injury.

Despite initial trepidation amid the coronavirus restrictions, saying City needed to protect themselves as a club, manager Brendan Rodgers has now said that he is pleased his players will be able to build their fitness playing for their countries, while he trains with those staying at home.

“I’ll be happy for the boys to go away on international duty because then they can play some games and add to their fitness,” he said.

“It’s always difficult, these first three to five games, you’re still searching (for fitness).

“If you look at the likes of Harvey (Barnes), he’s still getting up to speed fitness-wise, and one or two of the other lads as well.

“The boys will work hard, the guys that stay, they’ll have a few days off but then we’ll

be really excited about the month that comes after it.”