The Argentine clash in Brazil ended prematurely minutes after it began when health workers and police stopped playing while trying to identify Premier League players believed to be in breach of COVID rules.
In response, the visitors, led by captain Lionel Messi, left the field of play and did not finish the game again.
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The match may need to be played later
Tottenham pair Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero, as well as the duo of Aston Villa, Emi Buendia and Emi Martinez, denounced their international obligation to Argentina, but stopped things due to a series of forged COVID documents.
The Football Association of Argentina later tweeted an image of the squad on the plane, with the caption: “let’s go home.”
It has been reported that the Federal Government, FIFA and CONMEBOL have reached an agreement so that the four players can enter the field to take part in the match.
However, just minutes from the match, officials from the Brazilian health authority Anvisa entered the field with police officers to demand that the World Cup qualifier be stopped until all four players were off the field. and detained.
“By decision of the match referee, the match organized by FIFA between Brazil and Argentina for the World Cup qualifiers is suspended,” the governing body of South American football CONMEBOL posted on Twitter.
“The referee and the match commissioner will present a report to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which will determine the steps to follow. These procedures strictly adhere to current regulations.
“The World Cup qualifiers are a FIFA competition. All decisions relating to its organization and development are the exclusive power of this institution. “
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The match had only begun when the officers stormed the playing field
AFP
Nicolas Otamendi and Marcos Acuna clashed with a health official
AFP
Paris Saint-Germain teammates Neymar and Lionel Messi chew the fat as the whole drama unfolds
Government rules in Brazil state that anyone entering the country who has recently been to the UK must observe a 14-day period of isolation.
However, it is said that the squadron did not declare that it had been in the UK and that it was being investigated by local authorities.
Lo Celso, Romero, Buendia and Martinez took part in the squads of the last day of their respective clubs during the round of Premier League matches.
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Lo Celso, Romero and Martinez started the match
Not only were they facing a 14-day quarantine period in Brazil, but they would also have to be isolated for ten days in the UK after visiting a red-list country.
“These players arrived in Brazil on a flight from Caracas [Venezuela]”Said Brazilian health regulator Anvisa.
“The flight landed in Guarulhos [Sao Paulo]. They stated that they had not been in any of the four countries restricted for the past 14 days. Anvisa was warned about the alleged false information given by these players.
“After that, Anvisa sent a notification to the CIEVS [in charge of Sao Paolo’s Covid-19 restrictions]. We must clarify that the false information given to the Brazilian authorities may be a violation of the country’s health laws and a violation of our criminal law. “
The media in Argentina report that Messi was heard saying, “We’ve been here three days, we were waiting to play the match, why didn’t you go before? This is a mess, we’re out!”
AFP
Everyone can guess what happens next
The Argentine team arrived in Brazil on Friday after beating Venezuela and it is considered that the Argentine FA has the impression that they did not need to inform the Brazilian authorities, as they had already indicated to CONMEBOL that the four players were part of their security. bubble.
However, the Brazilian authorities did not sanction this, which suggested that the players could be deported from the country.
Brazilian officials are said to have visited Argentina’s hotel in Sao Paulo on Sunday in the hours leading up to their match. It is said that an agreement has been reached to pass the four players to the national team for the match.
“I’m very sorry,” said Argentine leader Lionel Scaloni. “If something happened or not, it was not the time to make this intervention.
“It should be a party for everyone, to enjoy the best players in the world. I would like the people of Argentina to understand that as a coach I have to defend my players. At no point were we informed that they could not play the match. We wanted to play the game, also the players from Brazil “.
Tensions were already high in Brazil, with a meeting of the two rival giants in the coming weeks after Argentina won the Copa America final at the Maracana, beating Brazil 1-0.
No date has been set for the re-arranged match with the next qualifier for the World Cup in Argentina scheduled for home in Bolivia on Friday 10 September.
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