Considering the unique circumstances, the last 12 month have been gone remarkably smoothly for football.
OK, the product on the pitch has suffered, but most league and fixtures at the top level have been completed, and legal wranglings and disputes have been kept to a minimum.
That might be about to change, however, with the return of the international break.
The Daily Telegraph today reported that there’s trouble brewing between top clubs in the Premier League – including Chelsea – and various national teams.
The UK’s “red list” for quarantine would affect several Blues players who could be expected to join up with their countries for the international break this month.
Thiago Silva, Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech will not be allowed to play for their respective national teams if they are forced to quarantine for 10 days on their return.
It’s understandable – it would mean missing both key Premier League and Champions League fixtures.
The only solution seems to be a government exception for these players, or a permission slip from their national teams – otherwise we could be heading for another FIFA/CAS dispute.
