Report: Spurs angry with Lo Celso, Romero for joining Argentina's squad
Argentina's Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero could face disciplinary action when they return to Tottenham Hotspur for going against the club's wishes to play in South America's World Cup qualifiers, according to The Guardian's Nick Ames and Sean Ingle.
Lo Celso and Romero were at the center of an incident in Sao Paulo on Sunday when Brazilian health authorities interrupted Argentina's meeting with Brazil in the seventh minute. The officials accused the Spurs pair, along with Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia, of lying about their travel history to immigration officers and breaking the country's quarantine protocols.
However, the duo had already irked their employers before that match was halted because they weren't given permission to join Argentina for the squad's September international games. Tottenham, with the Premier League's support, decided against allowing Lo Celso and Romero to travel, wanting to avoid the mandatory 10-day quarantine upon their return to the United Kingdom.
Davinson Sanchez, who represents Colombia, could also be in trouble when he's back with Tottenham.
Unlike Spurs, Aston Villa reached an agreement with Martinez and Buendia for them to be available for two of Argentina's qualifiers, but then sit out Thursday's final match of the international break against Bolivia. That timeline meant they would only miss Saturday's trip to Chelsea.
Lo Celso, Romero, and Sanchez's travel arrangements are currently unclear, as they're set to play for their countries on Thursday. They will miss Saturday's Premier League game at Crystal Palace, but the three could also be sidelined for a Europa Conference League match at Rennes (Sept. 16) and a Premier League scuffle with Chelsea (Sept. 19).
The decision from representatives of Anvisa, Brazil's health agency, to walk onto the pitch during Sunday's South American qualifier has been met with widespread criticism. Both Argentina superstar Lionel Messi and the Brazilian Football Confederation questioned why health officials didn't deal with the issue over the previous days.
Anvisa said the players ignored their instructions to isolate.
"They had to remain isolated in the hotel until they could return to their country, but instead they went to the stadium to play the game," said Avinsa director Antonio Barra Torres, according to ESPN. "We informed the players that they had to comply with these regulations. They did not do so."