Jose Mourinho backs Jurgen Klopp with concerns over international break

Jose Mourinho has expressed his concern over his Tottenham players leaving for international duty later this month amid restrictions imposed by the UK government on those travelling to certain countries during the pandemic.

A number of Tottenham players could be called up by their countries for the international break that is scheduled from 22 March to 1 April.

According to the UK government’s stipulations, anyone returning from coronavirus ‘red list’ countries – including Portugal, all of South America and parts of Africa are required to quarantine for a period of ten days.

FIFA has given clubs the authority to prevent their players from leaving for international duty if they have to quarantine for five days or more on their return.

Premier League managers including the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola have already expressed their concern regarding allowing their players to leave given the current quarantine rules (BBC Sport).

While Mourinho admitted that he is waiting to see where each of his players would travel, he insisted that clubs should have the final say since they pay the players’ salaries.

When asked if he would prevent any of his players from leaving for international duty, the Spurs boss told Football.London: “In this moment I don’t want to speak. I want to see what is going to happen.

“Is Brazil v Argentina going to be played in South America or is it going to be played for example in London? I don’t know.

“I know little things, Portugal will play in Turin, Norway will play in Spain.

“Let’s see what is going to happen, where the matches are going to be played and of course the clubs have the right to protect themselves because Jurgen [Klopp] is right, the clubs pay the players.”

Spurs Web Opinion

There is very little point of playing international fixtures under the current circumstances. I would expect most Premier League clubs including Spurs to prevent many of their players from leaving.

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