Report: EPL clubs banned from using players not released for Brazil duty
Five Premier League clubs are affected by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) triggering a FIFA rule to ban players for five days because they weren't released for the international break, according to BBC Sport's Simon Stone.
Chelsea, Leeds United, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United prevented their Brazilian players from traveling so they wouldn't need to face the United Kingdom's mandatory 10-day quarantine when they returned from a red-list country. Their decision was made with support from the Premier League.
The Premier League clubs will contest FIFA's rule, citing the exceptional circumstances around COVID-19 restrictions which made it difficult for their players to fly, according to the Independent's Melissa Reddy. The clubs are exploring solutions with the Premier League, Brazil, the Football Association, and FIFA.
Eight players would be unavailable from Sept. 10 to 14, a period which covers this weekend's Premier League fixtures as well as Chelsea's (Thiago Silva) and Manchester United's (Fred) Champions League group games on Tuesday.
The other banned Brazilians are Leeds' Raphinha, Liverpool's Alisson, Fabinho, and Roberto Firmino, and Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus and Ederson. The latter's absence could mean a rare appearance in goal for 36-year-old Scott Carson due to Ederson's regular deputy, Zack Steffen, testing positive for COVID-19 while on duty with the United States men's national team.
The CBF reportedly chose to spare Richarlison from the sanction after Everton released him for Brazil's victorious Olympic campaign in the summer.
Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez, Newcastle United playmaker Miguel Almiron, and Watford defender Francisco Sierralta are already unavailable this weekend due to similar moves from their countries' respective federations, Stone reports.
Other nations are yet to decide if they'll trigger the five-day ban, leaving numerous clubs in the dark about whether their players will be available for the upcoming weekend.
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