Football news - Biggest Premier League clubs impacted as Brazil invokes player ban

ByTom Bennett

Updated 08/09/2021 at 15:27 GMT

Eight players will be unavailable for the next round of Premier League fixtures after the Brazilian football association triggered a FIFA rule that sees players banned for five days if not released for international duty. The ban is the latest development in the controversy surrounding Brazil's international fixtures and the country relationship with the government of a Covid 'red-list' status.

Brazilian players will be unable to feature for their clubs when the Premier League returns this weekend after the Brazilian FA triggered a FIFA rule.

FIFA regulations state that players not released for international duty can be banned for five days after the fixture window ends.

And, after the Premier League and clubs advised Brazilian players not to travel due to the country’s red-list coronavirus status, the Brazilian FA have implemented the ban.

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In total eight players will be unavailable for fixtures spanning from 10-14 September, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Leeds United and Manchester United all impacted.

The players involved are Roberto Firmino, Fabinho. Alisson, Ederson, Gabriel Jesus, Raphinha, Fred and Thiago Silva.

The ban also means that Silva and Fred will be unavailable for their respective clubs’ Champions League matches next week.

Brazil have requested that Everton’s Richarlison be exempt from the ban, as a courtesy to the club’s willingness to release the forward for this summer’s Olympic tournament, impacting his pre-season preparation for the Premier League.

FIFA had unsuccessfully lobbied the UK government to provide an exemption to footballers travelling to red list countries during the international break, meaning that any players who had travelled would have been subject to the mandatory 10-day quarantine period on their return – a longer absence than the FIFA ban.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - SEPTEMBER 05: Health Staff of ANVISA of Brazil argue with Lionel Messi of Argentina and Neymar of Brazil on the field during a match between Brazil and Argentina as part of South American Qualifiers for Qatar 2022 at Arena Corinthians

Image credit: Getty Images

The news comes just days after Brazil’s fixture against Argentina was halted due by Brazilian health authorities over the presence of Premier League players at the ground, due to those individuals not undergoing the required quarantine period on entering Brazil.

Those players – Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero of Tottenham and Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia of Aston Villa – are now undergoing a quarantine training camp in Croatia along with Colombian international Davinson Sanchez before returning to the UK.

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