How Brazilian FA forced Raphinha out of Leeds United v Liverpool

The Whites wide man was called up to represent Brazil over the September international break but did not travel home due to his nation being on the UK government’s red-list amid Covid restrictions.

Eight other top-flight players who were included in head coach Tite’s squad also failed to show up for international duty because of the quarantine rules that would have been in place upon their return.

Players travelling back from South America would have been forced to isolate for 10 days and now instead look set to receive a five-day ban from competitive domestic matches.

Five Premier League teams are likely to be missing their Brazilian contingent this weekend after FIFA was asked to implement a short-term ban by the Brazil Football Association for those who failed to report for the international games. Leeds meet Liverpool at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon (4.30pm) with both clubs now due to be hit by the incoming sanction.

Whites winger Raphinha will be among those ineligible to play as will Reds forward Roberto Firmino, goalkeeper Alisson Becker and midfielder Fabinho.

“We invited him [Raphinha] to make a decision and he decided no,” United owner Andrea Radrizzani said earlier this week.

“He showed great respect for his club and the Premier League in giving up this opportunity to play for his country for the first time.”

Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United are also set to be affected by the rule, which will ban players from games between September 10-14.

Everton, though, will be permitted to call on Richarlison after Brazil requested leniency towards the Goodison Park club with the Toffees making the forward available for last month’s Olympics in Tokyo. Players from Mexico, Paraguay and Chile are already unavailable for the same reasons with Wolves, Newcastle, Watford and Blackburn unable to field players in the coming days.Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa will also be without four players between them after Emiliano Buendia, Emiliano Martinez, Cristian Romero and Giovani lo Celso represented Argentina.