Rio de Janeiro (AFP)

Without Cavani or Alisson, retained in England by their clubs, but with the new Parisian teammates Neymar and Messi, the South American qualifiers for the World-2022 resume from Thursday.

"The competition has been distorted", plague Diego Godin.

"It is not normal that the national teams cannot count on the players that the coaches consider eligible for selection," said the captain of Uruguay, one of the few to openly take offense at the decision of the Premier League clubs.

They have indeed decided "not to release the players for international matches taking place in the countries of the red list" with a significant circulation of Covid-19 drawn up by the British government.

Uruguay team captain and defender Diego Godin before the Copa America group match against Bolivia on June 24, 2021 in Cuiaba (Brazil) DOUGLAS MAGNO AFP / Archives

Anxious to avoid their South American or African players the ten days of compulsory isolation, regardless of their vaccination status, they opposed FIFA despite the threat of financial sanctions.

Brazil will therefore do without Thiago Silva (Chelsea), Ederson and Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City), Alisson, Fabinho and Firmino (Liverpool), Fred (Manchester United) but also Richarlison (Everton) and Raphinha (Leeds).

Peruvian striker Jefferson Farfan, wrestling with Brazilian captain and defender Thiago Silva, October 13, 2020 in Lima, during South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar Paolo AGUILAR POOL / AFP / Archives

"They would have liked to be here" in Santiago to face Chile, assured Brazilian coach Tite, who said Wednesday he had been "in contact" with the Brazilians held in England.

"They have all shown their willingness to represent the selection."

As a matter of urgency he called on nine other mobilizable players, including the attackers Hulk (Atlético Mineiro), Malcom (Zenit / RUS) and Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid / ESP).

- Uruguay without Cavani or Suarez -

Manchester United for its part blocked the Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, whose absence is added to that of injury to Luis Suarez (Atlético Madrid).

The joy of Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, congratulated by his teammate Luis Suarez, after scoring against Chile, during their group match of the Copa América, on June 24, 2019 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro Mauro PIMENTEL AFP / Archives

Without its two best players, Uruguay (4th, 8 points in six days) is playing big against supposedly inferior teams: Peru (10th, 4 pts) and Bolivia (8th, 5 pts) before receiving Ecuador (3rd, 9 pts).

Tottenham (Sergio Romero, Giovani Lo Celso) and Aston Villa, (Emiliano Martinez, Emiliano Buendia) on the other hand finally let their Argentines join captain Messi, who arrived in Caracas on Monday accompanied by Leandro Paredes and Angel Di Maria to face Venezuela (9th , 4 pts).

Argentinian strikers Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi are getting ready to board their bus for their first training, on August 31, 2021 in Cararas, before their match against Venezuela, qualifier for the World Cup-2022 in Qatar Yuri CORTEZ AFP / Archives

The French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese clubs did not ultimately prevent the provision of their players.

However, the Spanish League had opened hostilities against Fifa's decision to widen the international window for South America, but it was rejected Sunday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and had to resign itself.

In addition to its Argentines, Paris SG let Marquinhos and Neymar fly away to join the Seleçao.

The Lyonnais Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Guimaraes will be there, like the neo-Marseillais Gerson, called at the last minute.

- The Brazil-Argentina revenge -

Although undefeated (1st, 18 pts), Brazil will not have an easy part on Thursday against a Chile, in difficulty (7th, 6 pts) and deprived of its two "English", Francisco Sierralta (Watford) and Ben Brereton (Blackburn).

Especially since a South American Clasico will take place three days later in Sao Paulo.

Neymar and Brazil will be keen to wash away the affront of defeat in July at the Rio Maracana, in the Copa América final against Messi's Argentina (1-0, goal from Di Maria) who still officiated at the Barça.

For his return to the selection after his departure from Barcelona, ​​the captain of the Albiceleste will find the number 10, left in the club for the benefit of the 30 at PSG.

A reunion that allows him to measure what he accomplished this summer by lifting, at 34, his first international trophy, while he remained on four defeats in the final: three Copa América (2007, 2015 and 2016) and one 2014 World Cup).

Forward Lionel Messi kisses the Copa América trophy after Argentina's 1-0 victory in the final against Brazil on July 10, 2021 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro CARL DE SOUZA AFP / Archives

The September window, Messi will want to close it on a fireworks display against Bolivia, in front of the supporters authorized to take place in the Monumental of Buenos Aires who will want to thank him for putting an end to 28 years of famine for Argentina .

© 2021 AFP