Eight more Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players could be stopped from featuring in Gameweek 4.
Raphinha (£6.5m), Fabinho (£5.4m), Roberto Firmino (£8.8m), Alisson (£6.0m), Ederson (£6.0m), Gabriel Jesus (£8.6m), Thiago Silva (£5.4m) and Fred (£5.0m) may all miss out this weekend as a consequence of their non-involvement with Brazil over the international break.
That’s because, under FIFA law, players not released to their respective countries can be banned for five days after the international window ends – and that period spans September 10-14 in this case, which includes Gameweek 4.
Those sanctions will only occur if a national football association requests FIFA to invoke them, something the Brazilian FA have done this afternoon.
Curiously, though, the BBC reports that Brazil have not asked for Everton’s Richarlison (£7.5m) to be prevented from featuring against Burnley on Monday night in an act of goodwill, as the Toffees previously allowed their forward to be called up for Olympic Games duties when not obliged to do so.
The football federations of Mexico, Paraguay and Chile have also asked for punishment to be meted out, meaning that Raul Jimenez (£7.4m), Miguel Almiron (£5.4m) and Francisco Sierralta (£4.4m) may not be allowed to play this weekend.
We’ve yet to have an official response from the Premier League or the clubs affected, and we’ll bring you more news on this as and when we get it.
Anyone travelling to a red-list country faces quarantine for 10 full days in a managed hotel on their return to the UK, and Premier League players are no exception.
As far as we’re aware, there are only five such FPL assets that fall into this category in the September international break.
Emiliano Martinez (£5.5m), Emiliano Buendia (£6.4m), Davinson Sanchez (£4.5m), Giovani Lo Celso (£5.9m) and Cristian Romero (£4.9m) had all previously been given permission by their clubs to head to South America and all of them will miss Gameweek 4 as a result.
The quintet are available for their countries’ first two World Cup qualifying matches but will not take part in the third international fixture – meaning that their quarantine periods will have ended by the time Gameweek 5 comes around.
NOMINATED FOR ‘BEST IN FANTASY FOOTBALL’ AT THE FOOTBALL CONTENT AWARDS 2021
