Tottenham send fitness coach to work with Lo Celso, Romero and Sanchez at Croatia training camp

Tottenham are furious with Argentine duo Giovano Lo Celso and Cristian Romero
Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images
Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP7 September 2021

Tottenham pair Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero boarded a plane from Buenos Aires to Croatia on Monday night after being released from international duty following Sunday’s farcical scenes in Brazil.

The pair will join team-mate Davinson Sanchez in Croatia – on the UK’s green list of travel destinations – for a 10-day training camp to avoid returning directly to the UK from a red-list country and facing the same period in a quarantine hotel.

Spurs have sent a conditioning coach to Croatia to work with the Argentines and Colombia's Sanchez, who are expected to be back in London on or around September 16 – in time for the home derby against Chelsea on Sunday, September 19.

Aston Villa’s Argentina pair Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia are set to train at the same Croatian facility, albeit separately and likely with their own coach from the Midlands club.

Lo Celso, Romero and Sanchez are expected to be fined by Spurs and there is considerable frustration at their decision to go on international duty in red-list countries, against the club’s express wishes.

They will miss Saturday’s derby at Crystal Palace and Thursday’s Europa Conference League match at French club Rennes and may face a frosty reception when they finally return to Hotspur Way.

Argentina agreed to release the pair early, ahead of Friday's qualifier at home to Bolivia, following discussions with Spurs, who did not arrange the Croatian training camp but are hopeful the players will return in a condition to play against the Blues.

Argentina’s World Cup qualifier in Sao Paulo on Sunday was abandoned when Brazilian health officials invaded the pitch and accused the Spurs pair, Martinez and Buendia – who was watching from the stands – of breaching Covid-19 quarantine rules.

Brazilian federal police have opened an inquiry to investigate the quartet. Brazil's health regulator Anvisa said it had received reports that the four players had provided “false information” on their pre-flight health declarations.

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