Soccer

Klopp to stop his players from travelling to red list countries

‘We have to admit the players are paid by the clubs so it means we have to be first priority’

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will welcome Alisson back for Thursday night’s match against Chelsea. Photograph: Getty Images

Wed Mar 3 2021 - 14:03

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will not allow players to travel to international matches later this month if there is a chance they have to quarantine on their return.

Under current coronavirus guidelines in the UK arrivals from red list countries are subject to 10 days' hotel confinement, which would apply to the likes of Brazilian trio Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho and Portugal forward Diogo Jota.

Due to the special circumstances Fifa have given clubs dispensation to prevent players who may be affected by the regulations from joining up with their countries.

And Klopp fully intends to apply it, saying: “I think all the clubs agree that with the same problems we cannot just let the boys go and then sort the situation when they come back by placing our players in a 10-day quarantine in a hotel, it is just not possible.

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“I understand the needs of the different FAs but this is a time where we cannot make everyone happy and we have to admit the players are paid by the clubs so it means we have to be first priority.”

Team news

Alisson is set to return to the side for the visit of Chelsea having missed Sunday’s win at Sheffield United as he was mourning the death of his father in a swimming accident back home in Brazil.

Fabinho, who has played just one of the last eight because of injury, is also set for his first appearance in the squad while Diogo Jota, whose return from nearly three monts out at Bramall Lane was denied by illness, is also back.

“Ali trained the full week and we should expect that he is able to return. Fab has now five or six sessions and looks good, is ready for the squad for sure,” added Klopp.

“Diogo has this little stomach problem and he trained yesterday, only a little bit, rondo and a little run. I got the message this morning that he feels better again but we will see. He did exceptionally well but then he got ill overnight and we have to see how big the steps are he can make.”

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