'We're back': Liverpool fans ecstatic after Brazil players u-turn

Liverpool fans reacted with glee as they got confirmation that Brazil players can feature this weekend. A long-running argument put that at risk.

Brazil players can feature in the Premier League this weekend. That’s according to Paul Joyce, among others.

There was a real risk that they wouldn’t be able to, of course. Liverpool refused to release Alisson Becker and Fabinho for Brazil duty because of UK Covid-19 restrictions.

Brazil is on the ‘Red list’, meaning anyone returning from there would need to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days. That, as Jurgen Klopp explained, could be massively problematic.

We went into detail on the situation here but suffice to say, the Brazilian FA was not happy. They pushed FIFA into enforcing the 5-day rule. That’s a ruling that suspends players for their next club game if they weren’t released for international duty.

But it appears FIFA will wave the rule for this weekend. They came to that decision very, very late on Friday evening ahead of the Premier League weekend.

And fans were ecstatic.

Liverpool fans react to Brazil players ruling

This truly is common sense. Liverpool – and other Premier League sides – only took the sensible route in keeping their players at home. Otherwise, they’d have missed an important chunk of the season.

Ridiculously, the first Brazil fixture ended up being cancelled mid-game because of Covid-19 restrictions. It was just a messy situation and one clubs were right to handle.

And while the decision has come bizarrely late in the day, Liverpool finally know who can face Leeds United. Alisson Becker and Fabinho are available – though, Raphinha will line up in white.