Top flight fight to let 11 banned stars play
THE PREMIER League are hopeful the 11 stars banned from playing this weekend after failing to appear for their national sides will still be allowed to take the field.
If that does not happen, they are ready to take their fight to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea were set to be the hardest hit following a backlash from South American nations, who attempted to take revenge when top-flight clubs prevented their stars from heading to red-list countries for the recent fixtures.
As a result, FIFA invoked a fiveday restriction on those involved, who include Liverpool’s Brazil trio of Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino, Leeds’ Raphinha, Manchester City’s Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Chelsea’s Thiago Silva and Manchester United’s Fred.
The other three affected are Wolves striker Raul Jimenez of Mexico, Newcastle’s Paraguay forward Miguel Almiron and Watford’s Francisco Sierralta of Chile. However, Sportsmail can reveal that Premier League chief executive Richard Masters wrote to clubs yesterday and suggested a resolution is in sight.
He said four national associations complained to FIFA and added the top flight had been in talks with the governing body, the Government and the Football Association. A final decision is expected this morning.
If FIFA refuse to budge, insiders have disclosed the Premier League would consider putting the case before Swiss-based CAS, who would make a judgment.
Amid concerns over Covid-19 and subsequent isolation periods, most clubs agreed not to send their international players to red-list countries. However, Aston Villa broke ranks by allowing Emi Martinez and Emi Buendia to travel with Argentina in a move which infuriated many — and Tottenham pair Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero went against their club’s wishes.
Masters has told clubs they should agree on a unified position to prevent issues in subsequent international windows.
A resolution would solve a selection headache for Pep Guardiola ahead of his team’s trip to Leicester on Saturday. City’s back-up goalkeeper, Zack Steffen, remains in the US after testing positive for coronavirus last week.
Veteran Scott Carson, who turned 36 last Friday, could be required to fill in this weekend. Carson has featured for City only once, the 4-3 victory at Newcastle in May — his only Premier League appearance in a decade.
Meanwhile, Leicester’s Europa League clash with Napoli could be complicated by Covid chaos in the Serie A club’s squad.
At least four Napoli players — goalkeeper David Ospina, defenders Kalidou Koulibaly and Amir Rrahmani, and forward Victor Osimhen — are likely to be unavailable for the match a week today as they have spent time in countries on the UK’s red list during the international break.
That would mean a 10-day quarantine stint on arrival in England.
‘There are a number of Napoli players coming back from red-list countries, and under English law they won’t be able to play, so will the game be stopped?’ asked Antonio D’Amore, director of the Naples health authority.