NORWICH, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 14, 2021: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the FA Premier League match between Norwich City FC and Liverpool FC at Carrow Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool CAN select Brazil duo at Leeds after 5-day ban dropped

The Brazilian FA have dropped its demand that FIFA impose a ban, meaning Liverpool have finally been given the green light to select Alisson and Fabinho at Leeds on Sunday.

The decision comes after the Brazilian FA had triggered FIFA to impose a five-day ban on the internationals who failed to report for duty in the September international break.

That meant Alisson and Fabinho would miss the Premier League return at Leeds, with the ban to run from September 10-14, while Roberto Firmino was always to be absent due to injury.

Liverpool and fellow Premier League clubs, with the exception of Aston Villa, were united to block any call up to a red-list country that would enforce a 10-day quarantine on return to the UK.

It placed the players in the middle of a club and country face off and Brazil had then looked to punish them further with a FIFA ruling, all for circumstances out of their control.

FIFA Statement:

“Based on positive signals and constructive dialogue FIFA has received from the UK government towards the international match window in October, recognising that players have no control over the extreme situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and sanitary restrictions currently imposed and, as a sign of good faith, goodwill and cooperation, the member associations of Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Paraguay, in close consultation with FIFA, have taken the decision to withdraw their complaints in relation to the England-based players, and players bound to play in England, who were not released for the recent international matches,” said a FIFA statement.

“On 8 September 2021, the FIFA President, The FA Interim Chair and Premier League Chair sent a joint letter to the UK Prime Minister. The UK government is now open to find a reasonable solution with the three organisations, who are working closely together in a spirit of mutual understanding, in the interests of everyone.”

Further discussions took place between the Premier League, FIFA, FA and the government, and the right call has finally been confirmed, with the Brazilian contingent free to play on the weekend. Better late than never!

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 22, 2020: Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson Becker (L) and Fabio Henrique Tavares 'Fabinho' before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Leicester City FC at Anfield. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

It has created unnecessary tension with two further international breaks to come in 2021, with some seemingly forgetting that the pandemic is still very much ongoing.

But talks are ongoing with the government to find a potential solution that will enable clubs to release their players in the next break in October.

Alisson and Fabinho will be certain starters for Jurgen Klopp on Sunday, as too Raphinha for Leeds, but they and other Premier League clubs could have done without the late chaos that Brazil placed at their feet just hours out from the return of domestic action.