LOCKED DOWN

More bosses risk player upset as they block travel for red list internationals

PEP GUARDIOLA and Thomas Tuchel have joined the growing band of premier League bosses unwilling to let players join their national teams for matches in ‘ red list’ countries later this month.

even though the move is likely to upset some players fearful of losing their international places, guardiola and Tuchel have followed Jurgen Klopp in blocking their stars from travelling to places on the UK’s banned list as they would be forced to quarantine in hotels for 10 days on their return and miss matches and training sessions.

Five Mancheser City players — ederson, Fernandinho, riyad Mahrez, gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero — face games in red list countries and guardiola (below) said: ‘it makes no sense if the players go to the national team and then have to isolate for 10 days when they come back. we’ve worked incredibly hard for eight or nine months. They are not going to fly. if they can come straight back to training they’ll fly. we invest a lot of time and money.’ There are indications that Brazil may choose only homebased players for their forthcoming world Cup qualifiers, and portugal’s game with Azerbaijan on March 24 has been moved from Lisbon to Turin, meaning players can play without having to hotel quarantine when they return. Chelsea manager Tuchel, who looks set to prevent Brazil captain Thiago Silva from playing against Colombia and Argentina, said: ‘i am worried because my target is the premier League. if i have players in quarantine, i cannot build the group we want and this is the risk. if it maybe is the consequence that players cannot go, then this is the consequence.’

Aston villa are another club who have taken a firm stance. Manager dean Smith has told Argentina’s emiliano Martinez, Brazil’s douglas Luiz and Marvelous nakamba of Zimbabwe they will not be joining up with their national side.

Smith admitted his players were disappointed and said: ‘i’ve sat down with all three of them and it’s our right to stop them from travelling to a red list zone.

‘They’re disappointed because they want to represent their countries but they understand. All three are aware of Aston villa’s stance on travelling to a red list zone.’