The South American governing body, CONMEBOL, has confirmed that all international matches scheduled for later this month have been postponed, affecting a number of Inter players.
In a press release posted by CONMEBOL Saturday evening and as reported by FCInter1908.it, the governing body announced that concerns over the potential spread of the coronavirus for players travelling across the world to participate had led to them taking the decision to postpone.
“The CONMEBOL Council has decided to suspend the double round of fixtures for Qualification for Qatar 2022 World Cup. The decision is due to the impossible task of bringing all South American players in within a timely manner,” CONMEBOL’s statement read.
The decision affects Inter striker Lautaro Martinez, who was set to join up with the Argentina squad for their qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil on 27 and 30 March.
Meanwhile, Chilean pair Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal are also set to remain in Milan over the international period, with the duo expected to have been involved in La Roja’s matches against Paraguay and Ecuador.
The decision came after pressure from a host of European clubs who felt that players travelling to and from South America would face lengthy periods of isolation, affecting their availability for the remainder of the season.
