08/24/2021 5:46 PM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 08/24/2021 5:46 PM
This Tuesday, the triple date of the South American Qualifiers on the way to Qatar 2022 was in the middle of a controversy.
After the calls for the different lists that each Selection gave, an unexpected announcement came from Europe.
First it was the Premier League and shortly afterwards LaLiga joined in a more measured way, standing against FIFA and communicating that their clubs will not give up footballers to travel to represent their respective countries.
In England they were much more blunt in warning that no club will give up footballers, while in Spain they warned that it is up to the clubs to do so or not, and that they will give them their support in case they do not want their footballers to cross the Atlantic. It has to do with extreme care related to coronavirus infections and the respective quarantines that they must comply with when returning to their teams, making them absent during several games.
In Spain, there are nine Argentine footballers called up by Scaloni: Gerónimo Rulli (Villarreal), Germán Pezzella (Betis), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Marcos Acuña (Sevilla), Rodrigo De Paul (Atlético de Madrid) , Guido Rodríguez (Betis), Alejandro Gómez (Seville) and Ángel Correa (Atlético de Madrid).
In England, another four appear: Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso and Emiliano Buendía will not be able to be part of the squad.
Informative note.
LaLiga will support in all areas the decision of Spanish clubs not to release their international players for the convocation of CONMEBOL and will take pertinent legal actions against this decision that affects the integrity of the competition.
- LaLiga (@LaLiga) August 24, 2021
A couple of hours later, FIFA spoke about it and was forceful in giving its support to Conmebol, which was forced to set up this triple date in the first week of September due to the postponement that had to be made in March, when the continent was haunted by a spike in coronavirus cases.
The letter signed by the president of the entity, Gianni Infantino is addressed to Alejandro Domínguez, head of South American football.
In it he speaks of "full validity" to the calls and warns that they must have "effective and mandatory enforcement" for both the associations and the affiliated clubs.
In addition, he explains that this rescheduling of three dates was made after "a prior consultation period with different interest groups in international football."
Infantino, present at the Copa América final, along with Alejandro Domínguez and Lionel Messi.
Photo: EFE / Sebastiao Moreira
"FIFA is firm in the interpretation and execution of its decisions and regulations. To this end and in this particular context, I inform you that the administration of FIFA will proceed to reiterate to the respective member associations and clubs affected the regulatory bases to which that are subjected, as well as will make them a participant in the consequences of their possible non-compliance, "he said in the paragraph dedicated to the" rebellious "leagues.
The uncertainty is in knowing if there will be a reversal with this determination of the Premier and knowing what type of sanctions would fall to the association and the clubs.
It also remains to be seen what kind of action other leagues such as the Italian or the French will take, with many footballers committed to the playoffs.
The letter from FIFA, signed by Gianni Infantino.
It is worth remembering that Lionel Messi's team will play three games in September: on the 2nd at 21 against Venezuela as a visitor, on the 5th they will travel to Brazil to face the Verdeamarela from the 16 and finally they will play against Bolivia on the 9th from the 20.30.
It is worth remembering that in October there will be another triple date, which will once again put into debate the conflict between Europe and South America over the summons of the national teams.