Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp on Friday demanded “some kind of solution” to prevent another club versus country row over COVID-19 quarantine rules for qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup.
Eight Brazilian Premier League players — including Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker and midfielder Fabinho — were called-up by Brazil coach Tite for the next round of qualifiers for next year’s global tournament.
Premier League clubs refused to release players earlier this month for matches in countries on the British government’s “red” list, because of a 10-day quarantine rule facing returning travelers.
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In response, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and three other national associations asked FIFA to bar the players from club duty for five days before withdrawing their request a day before the next round of Premier League fixtures.
“There must be a solution, because we cannot just leave it like this and say it’s not a problem,” Klopp said. “Yes it is a problem.”
“I know the relevant people are working on this, but there’s nothing decided yet, at least as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “We have a problem when the Brazilians are allowed, or when they go, to the next internationals” next month.
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“We have a 12.30[pm] kick-off at Watford [on Oct. 16],” he said. “The game in Brazil is on Friday night [on Oct. 15], so obviously nobody has thought about that yet.”
“I just don’t know how you can do these kind of things where nobody reacts on the schedule,” he said. “We have two problems. One is the schedule, it was always a problem.”
“TV and other guys, the Premier League, say: ‘OK, that’s how it is, they have to play, let’s have a look how they can sort that,’” he said. “Another thing, it’s not good for the players or the clubs as well and I hope the government comes up with some kind of solution.”
Manchester City’s Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Fred of Manchester United, Chelsea defender Thiago Silva and Leeds’ Raphinha were also recalled by Brazil on Friday.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Emerson Royal is also in the squad.
In early games in the Premier League yesterday, Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, while Aston Villa beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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