The Premier League has asked for clarification over FIFA’s plans for next month’s World Cup qualifiers with clubs unclear on whether they have to release players for matches in high-risk Covid countries, meaning 10 days quarantine when they return.
As it stands, international players, like Davinson Sanchez, Roberto Firmino, Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes are left with a club versus country dilemma after government placed Portugal, South America and parts of Africa on a travel ban list, and removed quarantine exemptions for elite sports people.
As a result, footballers who compete in those countries will have to isolate for 10 days on their return, with no exceptions.
Portugal and South American countries, including Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil, are all scheduled to play World Cup qualifiers in March.
More than 40 Premier League players are likely to be affected, with the worst hit clubs expected to be Manchester City, Wolves, Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham.
The rules mean that top-flight players could miss up to two domestic games while they isolate in a season when clubs’ playing staff are stretched to the limit.
Furthermore, players may find themselves in hotel quarantine since the South American countries also appear on Home Secretary Priti Patel’s ‘red list’ of 20 risky destinations harbouring new variants of coronavirus.
So far, FIFA has refused to say whether it will allow clubs and players to decline a call up, or even what process it will follow to make a decision.
The English top flight raised the issue at a meeting of the European Leagues last week asking for clarity from FIFA. But the world governing body has remained tight-lipped.
Colombia could select Tottenham Hotspurs’ Davinson Sanchez for the March internationals
‘FIFA and the Confederations are monitoring the pandemic situation and as well as remaining in close contact with the authorities,’ a spokesman told Sportsmail.
Normally, the regulations require that clubs release players, who are selected for international matches.
But FIFA issued amendments to these rules in autumn last year, which granted an exemption from international duty where a travel restriction was in place.
That dispensation expired on December 31.
An analysis of top-flight players reveals 41 of them have been called up to the affected countries in the last two years. Of these 15 have played for Portugal, including six from Wolves and three from Manchester City.
Roberto Firmino of Liverpool has 47 caps for Brazil and may be selected again in March
While those Portuguese players would have to isolate on their return if they played for their national team at home to Azerbaijan on March 24, the rules do not appear to require them to quarantine if they join up with the squad outside of the country.
Portugal travels to Serbia on March 27 and Luxembourg on March 30 and neither of those countries are currently subject to a travel ban.
Public health experts spoken to by Sportsmail are divided on whether there is an additional risk of exposure to a new variant of the virus by being a part of the Portuguese squad.
However, they are agreed that the risk of transmission of the virus is much greater in international squads, compared to international club football, where one bubble plays another bubble.
Premier League managers like Jose Mourinho will be concerned about players going on international duty, since up to 15 separate bubbles may be mixing when squads converge
Club managers will be concerned about their players joining up with international squads, wherever they are playing.
‘International football increases the risk of transmission because you have more people mixing,’ Professor Gabriel Scally, a visiting professor at the University of Bristol and expert in public health told Sportsmail.
‘[If I was a coach] I would not be happy with my players mixing with other players and other bubbles at internationals, irrespective of what the national team is or where they are playing.’
Ruben Dias of Manchester City is another top player who may be called up by Portugal
An international squad of 23 players, could easily involve the mixing of around 15 different bubbles, including the players, coaches and staff.
Professor Keith Neal from the University of Nottingham, agreed.
”Club bubbles are one thing, but once you have players in an international squad, you have many bubbles potentially contaminated,’ he said. ‘It multiplies the mixing opportunity. It ramps up the risk.’
FIFA has declined to say if players will be excused from international duty if there’s a travel ban