PREMIER LEAGUE players who went abroad during the UK lockdown could find themselves in a two-week quarantine headache.
Clubs are hoping to be able to start recalling their stars to training, initially for individuals and then small group sessions before full team training can resume.
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Premier League players such as Willian of Chelsea could face a 14-day quarantine upon their arrival back in the UKCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And according to the Daily Mail, teams have informed players they should be available within 48 hours.
However, several players were given permission to head back home when the season was suspended on March 13.
That includes Brazilian pair Willian and Fernandinho, who are understood to still be in South America.
But the Government are planning to step up their measures for travellers arriving in the UK by placing them in quarantine for up to 14 days.
In the EFL, those that did travel have reportedly been told they need to be back by this Saturday at the latest.
Clubs are understood to have stressed the Government’s advice that all non-essential travel should be avoided – and highlighted that returning to their own country is non-essential.
Arsenal became the first Premier League side to resume training, allowing players back to their London Colney base from Monday morning.
The Gunners’ ten-pitch Hertfordshire HQ will be strictly conforming Government social-distancing rules — with players working on a different pitch and will have their own footballs to avoid any threat of cross-contamination.
A club source revealed: “We have been looking at opening up the training ground for a couple of weeks now because our players have been in lockdown longer than any other club’s.
“The players will continue to train in strict isolation on separate pitches and will not be allowed to mingle or socialise together.”
The return to Colney is strictly voluntary although the vast majority of the 25-man senior squad are expected to take advantage of the opportunity today.
And the decision came just days after four Arsenal players – Nicolas Pepe, Granit Xhaka, David Luiz and Alexandre Lacazette – were reminded of the club’s isolation rules.
When Premier League football does return, SunSport revealed teams are set to get the chance to make FIVE substitutes.
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Fears over player burn-out and injuries with remaining games crammed into a matter of five weeks or less will lead to the “temporary” Law change.
A Fifa proposal to introduce the short-term measure has been made – with the four Home Nations having to decide if it should be approved worldwide.
If it is given the go-ahead, then it would be down to the 20 top-flight sides to decide if they wanted to adopt the change for the remainder of the 2019/20 campaign.
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Tony Cascarino speaks about footballers hosting parties and breaking rules during lockdown
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
