‘We can’t let them go if they have to quarantine in a hotel… we pay, so we’re first priority’: Jurgen Klopp reveals Liverpool will REFUSE to let his stars play for red-list nations in a new club v country row
- Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool won’t release any players for international duty to countries currently on the UK’s Covid-19 red list
- They would be required to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days upon their return
- Brazilian trio Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino and Portugal’s Diogo Jota are affected with Brazil and Portugal on the red list
- Liverpool boss said clubs pay the player salaries and so should take priority
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool will refuse to release any of their players for international duty later this month if they have to quarantine for 10 days on their return to the UK.
Liverpool have the Brazil internationals Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino in their squad as well as Portugal’s Diogo Jota.
Both Brazil and Portugal are among 33 nations currently on the Government’s Covid-19 red list, meaning anyone who enters the UK from there must legally quarantine in an approved hotel room for 10 days.
Jurgen Klopp has risked a club-versus-country row by saying any Liverpool players who represent countries on the UK’s Covid red list won’t be allowed on international duty
Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker could miss two World Cup qualifiers
Fabinho (left) and Roberto Firmino (right) could also be forced to miss Brazil duty this month
Brazil have World Cup 2022 qualifiers away to Colombia – another red list country – on March 26 and at home to Argentina on March 30.
Portugal have a home World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan on March 24 before away games with Serbia on March 27 and Luxembourg on March 30.
Liverpool have important Premier League matches against Arsenal and Aston Villa immediately after the international break at the end of this month.
They could also be involved in a Champions League quarter-final.
Despite the risk of igniting a club-versus-country row, Klopp made absolutely clear that no Liverpool players will be allowed away for international duty if they have to quarantine on their return.
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s Premier League meeting with Chelsea, Klopp said: ‘I think all the [Premier League] clubs with the same problems agree we cannot just let the boys just go and then sort the situation when they return with a 10-day quarantine in a hotel or whatever. That is just not possible.
Portugal’s Diogo Jota is another who would be affected with his country on the red list
‘I understand the needs of the different FAs but this is a time when we cannot make everybody happy.
‘We have to admit that the players are paid by the clubs so that means we have to be the first priority. That’s how it is.
‘I get the need with the competitions coming up in the summer – I get it – but you cannot make everybody happy at the same time in this period of our lives.
‘Everybody agrees, we cannot let the players just go and have them come back and stay in a quarantine for 10 days in a hotel. That is not how we can do it.’
Speaking about the wider Covid situation and how the club had dealt with it, Klopp said: First and foremost, we are concerned yes about all the things which happened from a virus point of view in the last few months.
Liverpool players Roberto Firmino (left) and Alisson Becker (right) playing for Brazil
‘When someone had to leave the bubble, we weren’t without cases the whole time, but it never spread it was one case and self-isolation and come back again.
‘But during the last international break there were more cases than before that came up and Christmas period, like the whole society, that was a challenge for us.
‘Now in England it is going in the right direction, it looks positive and promising. Yes, we are concerned about these kind of things.
‘The only problem I have is – what is a red list country? England is doing really well but we are on the red list for some other countries.
‘It is not easy for us to travel from England. Any more info would be nice. The FIFA boss was kind of clear that we don’t have to let the players go this time.’
Last month, FIFA created an exemption for clubs releasing players for International duty this month.
Clubs are usually bound by FIFA regulations to release players but amid the pandemic the rule has been changed so they are no longer obliged to let players go if a mandatory quarantine period of five days or more is expected on their return.
FIFA said in a statement: ‘In the context of the challenges that remain in place for both international and domestic football due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided to provide additional flexibility regarding the release of players for national team duty and the registration of players with clubs in competitions that remain disrupted by the pandemic.’
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