The chaos caused by travel restrictions from Europe during this international break is far from over.
Many players were blocked by their clubs from representing their country, with the Brazil squad the most affected, as Liverpool stars Alisson, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho, Manchester City’s Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Chelsea’s Thiago Silva, Manchester United’s Fred, Leeds United’s Raphinha and Everton’s Richarlison all had to stay in the United Kingdom while their teammates went around the world to don their nation’s shirt.
Complaints on social media, some more obvious than others, were made, but with many clubs fearing long hotel quarantines on return from a red list country, it was decided this way was best.
There has been talk of FIFA invoking a five-day ban on those players so as to not favour them, thus making them miss a minimum of one game, and the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) will push for Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Leeds to be affected, but not Everton.
It’s said all the players affected, meaning Liverpool trio Fabinho, Roberto Firmino and Alisson, as well as Ederson, Gabriel Jesus, Thiago Silva and Raphinha, are ‘aware of the CBF’s position’, but that doesn’t mean they’re all happy about it.
Either way, it seems Everton are going to be the ‘likely exception’ in this kerfuffle, but it remains to be seen whether FIFA do listen to the Brazil Federation, or if they simply decide to apply a blanket ban, regardless of the nature of the relationship between parties.
