Ahead of the March international break, Pep Guardiola believes that every league in Europe has to be concerned about the spread of the COVID-19 virus when players disperse for the break. The international break has proved to be, in the past, a hotbed for the virus with several cases reported.
Despite FIFA extending a rule that allows clubs to not release players in countries that require a quarantine of five or more days for the March international break, there are quite a few clubs concerned about the situation. The break has been scheduled for after the FA Cup quarter-final with it set to expand over two weeks. It will be the first international break in 2021 but in light of the new strain of the COVID-19 virus, many clubs are concerned about the spread.
The international break has, in the past, proved to be a hotbed for the virus with several cases reported once the players both dispersed and returned from their national teams. It has seen Pep Guardiola admit that “all the leagues [should be] concerned” especially given the new strain of the virus. The Manchester City boss further added that it will be “difficult after to control” players with them travelling too and fro during the break and that is a problem.
“The only way to be protected from this virus is to stay at home, and don’t move and social distance with no contact and don’t travel. Now the people are going to travel, the players are going to the national teams and it’s difficult after to control it, so I think something is going to rise unfortunately,” Guardiola said, reported Goal.
“I would love to say or to guess it’s not going to happen but from experience it happened in two or three waves already worldwide, so if you move you take a risk to be contaminated, to get the virus again. I think the Premier League should be concerned about this, all the leagues [should be] concerned.”
