Players travelling abroad must quarantine at home for 10 days when they return to England, although they are allowed to train and compete; those coming from 'red list' countries must stay in hotel for 10 days; Chelsea play West Brom just days after March international fixtures
Friday 5 March 2021 20:16, UK
Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is "absolutely worried" about this month's international break and says Chelsea may prevent their players from joining their national teams.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said this week that Premier League clubs agree that players should not be released for international matches if they must quarantine when they return.
Chelsea currently have one player - Brazil's Thiago Silva - who could be required to travel to a country on the UK Government's 'red list'. Silva will have to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days when he returns to England should he be part of his country's squad.
But the Blues' first-team squad is full of international players who could be required to fly overseas to represent their countries for the upcoming fixtures, due to take place at the end of this month.
Anyone coming back to England from abroad must quarantine at home for 10 days. However, footballers are permitted to train and compete during this time, and any individual can end their quarantine after five days through the 'test to release' scheme if they pay for a private coronavirus test and return a negative result.
Chelsea play West Brom on April 3 - just days after players are due to return from their national teams - and Tuchel said: "I am absolutely worried because my target is to play Premier League and if I have players in quarantine, I cannot build the group that we want.
"But I am also sure that the club knows how to handle it and if it maybe is the consequence that players cannot go, then this is the consequence.
"The situation is extraordinary. We have to adapt and we will do this as a club. We will take the decisions. We are very concerned about the situation."
Tuchel was speaking after Chelsea's impressive 1-0 win at Anfield on Thursday night - a result that returned them to the top four and left champions Liverpool lying seventh in the Premier League.
The German head coach replaced Frank Lampard in January and, as well as remaining unbeaten in his first 10 games, has also recorded away wins against Tottenham, Atletico Madrid and now Liverpool.
Chelsea's fixture list shows no sign of easing, with fifth-placed Everton visiting Stamford Bridge on Monday night as the race for the top four reaches its final stages.
The Toffees have won their last three matches, and Tuchel said: "It's the next situation where there is one point difference only between the teams.
"Everton had a very strong start to the season and had a big win also at Anfield and kept the momentum going.
"Very strong squad, very, very physical, full of talent, strong strikers, dangerous No 10 with James (Rodriguez), strong, experienced players, super strong manager at the sideline with Carlo (Ancelotti), who knows how to keep momentum going.
"It's good that these games are on and it's good that we have a big, big match that drives us. Then it's a very natural process to be at our top level again because we don't need many words - the situation is very clear.
"We will need the next top-level performance to be able to win."
Sky Sports' Adam Bate...
Those who bemoaned the decision to sack Frank Lampard said all he needed was time. Thomas Tuchel required only one day to make a difference to Chelsea's style of play.
Six weeks on from his appointment, he has them back among the top four of the Premier League and looking like the best bet to compete with Manchester City in the long term.
Beating Liverpool at Anfield might not be the feat it once was but this was a supremely controlled performance by Chelsea and a deserved victory. Mason Mount's excellent goal in the first half had been coming. The equaliser never really looked like it was.
"Liverpool created very little throughout the 90 minutes," said Jamie Carragher on co-commentary for Sky Sports. Back in the studio, Ashley Cole was impressed too. "One of the best performances I have seen from Chelsea in terms of playing out from the back."
