The September international break is finally over, having reached its conclusion in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
We aren’t in the clear yet, however, with long-haul flights back and late returns potentially impacting our teams in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 4.
With that in mind, we look at what happened to the late returnees from North and South America after the four international breaks last season.
SEPTEMBER 2023 INTERNATIONAL BREAK
| Country | Final match played in… (date/kick-off time in BST) | Players (mins in final int match/mins next GW) |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Bolivia (Sep 12, 9pm) | E Martinez (90/90), Romero (90/90), Enzo (87/79), J Alvarez (85/90), Mac Allister (85/45), Garnacho (5/13), Senesi (0/25), Buonanotte (0/0), Li Martinez (0/85), Montiel (0/53) |
| Brazil | Peru (Sep 13, 3am) | Ederson (90/90), Gabriel (90/90), Casemiro (90/63), B Guimaraes (85/90), Richarlison (64/25), Jesus (26/29), Martinelli (5/20), Joelinton (5/0), Alisson (0/90), Cunha (0/60) |
| Colombia | Chile (Sep 13, 1.30am) | Lerma (90/0), Diaz (71/45), Duran (32/28), Sinisterra (19/25) |
| Ecuador | Ecuador (Sep 12, 10pm) | Estupinan (90/0), Caicedo (90/0) |
| Jamaica | Jamaica (Sep 13, 1am) | Bailey (90/40), Pinnock (90/90), De-Cordova Reid (90/14), Bell (90/90) |
| Mexico | USA (Sep 13, 1am) | Jimenez (90/61), E Alvarez (59/67) |
| Paraguay | Venezuela (Sep 12, 11pm) | Almiron (85/18) |
| Uruguay | Ecuador (Sep 12, 10pm) | Darwin (45/42), Pellistri (20/12), S Bueno (0/0) |
| USA | USA (Sep 13, 1.30am) | Horvath (90/0), Richards (71/90), Ream (0/90), Robinson (0/0), Turner (0/0) |
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Following the first international break of 2023/24, Liverpool went to Molineux in the early Saturday kick-off. Alexis Mac Allister (£6.4m) was visibly jaded after his late return from South America and replaced at half-time. Darwin Nunez (£7.2m) and Luis Diaz (£7.6m) weren’t risked from the start but both players made an impact upon their introduction.
- Pervis Estupinan (£5.0m) was rested after his midweek exertions for Ecuador and not part of the Brighton and Hove Albion squad.
- Moises Caicedo (£5.0m) missed out for Chelsea after picking up “… a knock on his knee” while he was away with Ecuador.
OCTOBER 2023 INTERNATIONAL BREAK
| Country | Final match played in… (date/kick-off time in BST) | Players (mins in final int match/mins next GW) |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Peru (Oct 18, 3am) | E Martinez (90/90), Mac Allister (90/90), Enzo (90/90), J Alvarez (78/90), Romero (45/90), Montiel (34/0), Lo Celso (12/16), Garnacho (0/31) |
| Brazil | Uruguay (Oct 18, 1am) | Gabriel (90/90), Jesus (90/65), Ederson (90/0), Casemiro (90/0), B Guimaraes (84/69), Richarlison (45/79), Cunha (6/81), Alisson (0/90) |
| Colombia | Ecuador (Oct 18, 12.30am) | Diaz (90/78), Duran (15/0), Sinisterra (0/0) |
| Ecuador | Ecuador (Oct 18, 12.30am) | Caicedo (90/90) |
| Germany | USA (Oct 18, 1am) | Gross (45/90), Havertz (0/21), Leno (0/90) |
| Mexico | USA (Oct 18, 1am) | E Alvarez (90/90), Jimenez (0/45) |
| Paraguay | Paraguay (Oct 17, 11.30pm) | Almiron (90/24) |
| Uruguay | Uruguay (Oct 18, 1am) | Darwin (90/37), Pellistri (88/0), S Bueno (0/0) |
| USA | USA (Oct 18, 1.30am) | Turner (90/90), Richards (72/0), Ream (0/90), Horvath (0/0) |
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Just as he was after the September break, Darwin Nunez was benched for Liverpool’s first game back following the October internationals.
- There were pre-match predictions that a Manchester City player returning from international duty in South America would be benched, but it was Ederson (£5.5m), and not Julian Alvarez, who had to make do with a place among the substitutes. Alvarez instead lasted 90 minutes, with Ederson’s demotion to the bench linked to his midweek exertions.
NOVEMBER 2023 INTERNATIONAL BREAK
| Country | Final match played in… (date/kick-off time in GMT) | Players (mins in final int match/mins next GW) |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Brazil (Nov 22, 12.30am) | E Martinez (90/90), Enzo (70/90), Mac Allister (90/90), J Alvarez (78/90), Montiel (0/0), Romero (90/90), Lo Celso (70/16) |
| Brazil | Brazil (Nov 22, 12.30am) | Gabriel (72/90), Martinelli (78/75), Jesus (90/65), Luiz (12/90), Pedro (0/65), Alisson (90/90), B Guimaraes (78/69), Joelinton (9/80), E Royal (90/40) |
| Colombia | Paraguay (Nov 21, 11pm) | Sinisterra (0/0), Lerma (90/87), Diaz (81/78) |
| Ecuador | Ecuador (Nov 21, 11.30pm) | Caicedo (90/27) |
| Jamaica | Canada (Nov 22, 1.30am) | Bailey (89/21), Pinnock (90/90), De-Cordova Reid (90/60), Antonio (inj/88) |
| Mexico | Mexico (Nov 22, 3.30am) | Jimenez (0/45), E Alvarez (120/90) |
| Uruguay | Uruguay (Nov 21, 11.30pm) | Darwin (73/37), Pellistri (77/0), Bentancur (86/0) |
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Four of the five players who were representing their country in South America in the early hours of Wednesday morning made the Man City v Liverpool starting XIs. Darwin Nunez was the only player benched.
- Moises Caicedo was named among the substitutes after his late arrival from South America.
- Edson Alvarez (£5.0m) not only had to contend with a long-haul flight back but also had to go to extra-time and penalties with Mexico in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He subsequently played 90 minutes just a few days later.
MARCH 2024 INTERNATIONAL BREAK
| Country | Final match played in… (date/kick-off time in BST) | Players (mins in final int match/mins next GW) |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Los Angeles, USA (Mar 27, 2.50am) | J Alvarez (90/0), Romero (90/90), Enzo (82/90), Lo Celso (72/30), Garnacho (71/58), Mac Allister (60/90), E Martinez (0/90), Barco (0/5), Buonanotte (0/27) |
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Fewer nations were in action in North or South America in March, with the likes of Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay involved in friendlies in Europe.
- Julian Alvarez was an unused substitute for Manchester City against Arsenal.
SLOT AND HURZELER: WHAT DID THEY DO LAST SEASON?
Two of the players causing most concern regarding Gameweek 4 game-time are Luis Diaz (£7.6m) and Joao Pedro (£5.7m). These are the two most bought FPL assets of this Gameweek, yet both have been away in South America.
They’re also managed by head coaches who weren’t in the Premier League last season: Arne Slot and Fabian Hurzeler.
Hurzeler had few internationals in his second-tier St Pauli side. Club captain and Australia international Jackson Irvine was one of them, however:
| Final match played in… (date/kick-off time in UK) | Minutes in final int match/mins next GW |
|---|---|
| Arlington, USA (Sep 9, 2.50am) | 88/0 (injured) |
| London, UK (Oct 17, 7.45pm) | 24/90 |
| Kuwait City, Kuwait (Nov 21, 3pm) | 90/90 |
| Canberra, Australia (Mar 26, 9.45am) | 90/90 |
As for Slot, his star man at Feyenoord was Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez:
| Final match played in… (date/kick-off time in UK) | Minutes in final int match/mins next GW |
|---|---|
| Atlanta, USA (Sep 13, 1am) | 13/61 |
| Philadelphia, USA (Oct 18, 1am) | 77/66 |
| Mexico City, Mexico (Nov 22, 3.30am) | 50/83 |
| Arlington, USA (Mar 25, 1.15am) | 25/80 |
This is perhaps a more pertinent case study as the player in question was returning from the Americas. He started in all four subsequent league games although was substituted in all four instances.
Apples and oranges perhaps with Diaz (more game-time for the Liverpool winger, more positional rivals than Gimenez had), but some hope to cling onto perhaps for Gameweek 4.
