(Reuters) – Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has called up three Premier League players for next month’s World Cup qualifiers despite the South American country remaining on Britain’s COVID-19 travel ‘red list’.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero along with Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez have been named in the 30-man squad for 2022 qualifiers against Paraguay (away), Uruguay and Peru (both home) from Oct. 8-15.
Arrivals from red list countries must quarantine for 10 days and the three would therefore miss Premier League games on the weekend of Oct. 16-17.
In August, the Premier League refused https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-soccer-england-idUKKBN2FP1O8 to release players headed to countries on the UK’s red list due to strict quarantine rules on their return.
Last month, a World Cup qualifier between Argentina and Brazil was suspended after Brazilian health authorities accused a number of Premier League players of violating the country’s COVID-19 quarantine rules.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)