Premier League: Clubs 'need to know' if Brazil players are suspended

The six Premier League clubs who refused to release players for Brazil's World Cup qualifiers "need to be told" if they are suspended this weekend.

European Clubs' Association chief executive Charlie Marshall said clubs need to know in the next 24 hours "if they can play their Brazilians or not".

Fifa can ban players not released in an international window for a period of five days after the window ends.

Nine Premier League players were selected for Brazil's three games.

The players called up were Liverpool trio Alisson, Fabinho, and Roberto Firmino, Manchester City's Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, Manchester United's Fred, Leeds forward Raphinha, and Everton striker Richarlison.

Wolves, Newcastle, Watford and Blackburn will all lose players this weekend after complaints from the Chilean, Mexican and Paraguayan associations.

However clubs have not yet been told whether the players that weren't released for the Brazil squad will be suspended or not.

"This has to be sorted it out within the next 24 hours," said Marshall on Tuesday. "Liverpool and the other clubs need to know if they can play their Brazilians or not.

"If Fifa is not going to sanction the clubs then they need to tell them."

The players did not travel to South America because they would have had to quarantine for 10 days on their return to England, which would have extended their absence even further.

Aston Villa and Spurs each allowed two players - Emiliano Buendia, Emiliano Martinez, Cristian Romero and Giovani lo Celso - to travel to play in Argentina's first two matches and will now miss one Premier League match while isolating.

They were involved in the ill-fated game against Brazil which was stopped after five minutes following the intervention of public health officials in Sao Paolo, who objected to the presence of four English-based players in the Argentina squad.

Under current circumstances, Marshall feels Fifa should be showing some sympathy.

"We don't think there should be sanctions because if a player has to quarantine he is unavailable to immediately play for his club again, so it would be longer than the agreed release period," he said.

"We asked Fifa to extend the exception for players having to be released for international duty but they chose not to."

Leeds United forward Raphinha, who was called up for the Brazil senior squad for the first time, was one of the players affected.

And Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani was impressed at the player's choice.

"We invited him to make a decision and he decided no. 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," he said.