Liverpool could be tempted into encouraging their Brazilian internationals, Fabinho and Alisson Becker, who travelled for international duty, into making their way to Spain ahead of their midweek Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.
Tite’s men are set to face Uruguay on 15th October, which will present a selection concern for Jurgen Klopp given that the Reds’ upcoming meeting with Watford takes place the very next day.
“In turn, Liverpool will therefore have a decision to make not just for that fixture, but the midweek Champions League game against Atletico Madrid, too – the duo could feasibly head straight to Spain rather than back to Merseyside, as quarantine measures once back in the UK make a second overseas trip a dubious possibility,” Karl Matchett wrote for the Independent. “It could, however, all change again if any further travel guidelines are issued in the next two weeks.”
As things stand, the Merseysiders find themselves a point adrift of the top spot in the English top-flight following their thrilling 2-2 draw with Manchester City.
The suggestion to encourage our Brazilian duo to wait for the squad in Spain for our meeting with Diego Simeone’s men on the 19th is not necessarily poor advice.
However, as Matchett rightly notes, the precarious nature of quarantine rules and exemptions at play mean that we’d be taking something of a risk in discouraging Alisson and Fabinho from returning to Merseyside after the international break ends.
As such, it would arguably be advisable that the Brazilians make their way back to England rather than risk any potential travel complications.