The Argentina v Brazil game ended in farce, precisely because the players who did have to enter the country had to break the law to play. They thought they would be fine, and they weren’t.
FIFAs position on this seems to be, as far as I can see, that the expected players to ignore legal quantine protocols in order to play a game of football. This is absolutely insane.
At this point, the Premier League need to face up to FIFA and say that Alisson, Fabinho, Raphina et al will be available for selection. It was their guidance that clubs should not release players to red list countries. Make it very clear that what FIFA expected was illegal and morally reprehensible.
And this is the point the clubs, the Premier League and UEFA need to argue but sadly I can’t see the clubs having the stomach for such a fight and the P/L and UEFA won’t have the balls
Could we not point to the treatment of Argentina’s prem players that played in Brazil to prove to fifa that they wouldn’t have been able to play for Brazil and therefore should be available for us to use
Fabinho played the game we drew but not the games we won. This is part and parcel of football. Maybe Curtis or Ox or Naby takes the opportunity to step up against Leeds.
Also Leeds isnt looking anywhere as threatening as last season. Their defence is really poor.
Both Ox and Thiago were probably put through good training sessions during their break to raise their fitness levels, so they could be useful here. Especially with Jones being out of rhythm and Naby having the week he’s had…
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It’s the premier league who are responsible for protecting English EPL clubs.
Of course the EPL can call on the FA to help who in turn should call upon UEFA and their response will depend on what’s happening all over Europe.
That’s how I see it.
As pointed out earlier it’s better a 1 game ban for the players involved than, what 28 days? in quaranten.
Under current Brazilian rules, anyone that has been in the UK in the 14 days prior to arriving in the country must quarantine for 14 days immediately upon arrival.
So our Brazilian lads would have had to go into quarantine until this Sunday, the 12th. So even if they had gone, they would not have been eligible to play!
Its political posturing - they don’t care about the players - and the players just want to play footy.
On this instance, it works out for us, as you say - they miss less time with a FIFA ban, compared to the rules had they been in a Red List country. The major issue is the upcoming international breaks (x2), and what that means. We don’t want to see our lads missing more games.
Down to the PL to step up and protect the players - if we weren’t in the midst of a global pandemic it would be different.
What FIFA have done here, because they are fucking stupid, is get football embroiled in a deeply political global shit fight - from a starting position of ‘keeping politics out of football’.
Regarding this situation I would want the EPL and FA to get involved in pointing out the utter absurdity of the Brazil NTs requests, and insisting the matter is held over until an arbitrator can adjudicate on the matter. They need to make it clear they will not tolerate FIFA and national teams damaging their product beyond the normal disruption to serve international breaks. International football is dependent on the cooperation of the national associations and leagues, and if they want this to continue they should tread carefully.
I’d also question the legality of FIFA and the Brazilian FA compelling players to break quarantine. Aren’t they essentially telling their players to break the law, and threatening them with suspension if they don’t?
Before the next international break, the football authorities need to lean on the relevant governments to create exemptions, within a strict testing and bubbling framework, for elite footballers, so this need to quarantine can be avoided.
Won’t happen though, because basically everyone involved in football governance is a cunt.
One thing I’d be in favour of is if all players contracted to european clubs dont play the qualifiers.
Atleast will give the guys playing in the local leagues impetus to push and perform well knowing that it would get them a spot with a good club in europe if their performances are noted.
