PLEA FOR STARS TO RETURN
PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are desperately lobbying the UK government in a bid to avoid losing their stars to quarantine after September’s international break.
As many as 50 top-flight players could be forced into a 10-day hotel quarantine upon returning from representing their nations in redlisted countries next month.
In some cases, that would mean those internationals missing out on the two Premier League fixtures immediately following their return.
And clubs taking part in European competition stand to be hit even harder, with the start of their Champions League and Europa League campaigns sandwiched between those two league games.
The news is of particular concern to Manchester City, who would lose their only recognised senior centreforward, Gabriel Jesus, after he was named in the Brazil squad alongside Fernandinho and Ederson. Liverpool will suffer too, with Roberto
Firmino, Alisson and Fabinho also part of that Brazil squad and
Mohamed
Salah in line to travel to redlisted
Egypt.
Last season, rules dictating that players must be released when called upon by their national teams for Fifa-sanctioned competitions were temporarily suspended.
However, global football’s governing body expect all call-ups to be honoured this season as international sides look to clear a fixture backlog.
That has left Premier League clubs seeking an intervention from the UK government.
The Department for Digital,
Culture, Media and Sport are locked in talks with top-flight chiefs and the Football Association in order to try and find a solution.
Premier League clubs have argued that the sanctity of competition would be affected by the loss of key players to quarantine and they are hopeful of securing an exemption.
However, special dispensation for Premier League stars is unlikely to be well received.