‘Putting all this on players is not OK’

face-to-face contact and, in some cases, it would mean living in such conditions for 10 days. Klopp added: ‘We should not forget, in our case we talk about the Brazilian players, plus Kostas Tsimikas and Sadio Mane. That would mean for the players that they go for 10-12 days with their national teams, then they go another 10 days away from their families into quarantine. ‘That’s 22 days, then two weeks later there’s the next international break. That doesn’t sound to me like a real solution. ‘If the situation in Brazil is that bad, we have to react. But why does France, Germany, Italy, Spain think it’s not that bad? I don’t know. Why can their players go back and play on and have the life they had before, yet here they have to go for 10 days in a hotel with food deliveries? ‘It’s not OK that we constantly move the responsibility to the players. It’s really not OK.’ Sportsmail reported in August that clubs were applying pressure on players reluctant to get vaccinated, with warnings that continuing to refuse the jab could have implications for their prospects of playing international and European football. The relaxed rules for vaccinated players have seen that come to pass. Some clubs are understood to have told players they would not be allowed to go on international duty if their vaccine status meant they would miss games on their return. The compromise for the October break comes following talks between the football authorities, the Government and Public Health England. But players will also have to adhere to a code of conduct that contains guidelines on transport, close contact and protocols on testing, vaccination and bubbles. They will immediately lose their eligibility for the exemption if they fail to comply. Players can choose the hotel they stay in but PHE will be involved in discussions regarding accommodation and also the monitoring of players. Those not fully vaccinated can still travel to meet up with their national teams but at their own risk — as they will remain subject to the previous regulations for those coming back from red-list countries and be forced into strict 10-day quarantine. Aston Villa manager Dean Smith, whose goalkeeper Emi Martinez and midfielder Marvelous Nakamba are impacted, said: ‘Both of our players who will be affected are fully vaccinated, which is a real positive for us.’ The Spurs quartet of Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina), Emerson Royal (Brazil) and Davinson Sanchez (Colombia) are also expected to join up with their national teams next week. Brazil have called up eight Premier League-based players for this month’s break. Colombia have included Everton’s Yerry Mina along with Sanchez.