Brazil vs Argentina to be replayed - with four players banned

Argentina's Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier with Brazil has been ordered to be replayed following its abandonment last September - but they will be without four Premier League-affiliated players after they were handed a two-match suspension.

Last year's game in Sao Paulo was called off after Brazilian medical officials stormed the field shortly after kick-off, amid accusations that the Albiceleste had broken the host nation's Covid-19 protocols.

Now, FIFA has handed down their disciplinary decision, decreeing that the match must be replayed between the two sides, with both countries also fined in addition to the quartet of bans handed out.

Aston Villa duo Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia and Tottenham pair Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso - the latter of whom is currently on loan with Villarreal - have been deemed to have failed to have complied with the FIFA Return to Football International Match Protocol.

As such, they have been given suspensions for two games each, which would theoretically cover Argentina's next two qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador in March.

However, they may well sit out the rearranged Brazil clash, dependent on when the game is dated now that FIFA's ruling has been handed down.

In addition to the bans, Brazil have been fined 550,000 Swiss francs (£440,000), and Argentina 250,000 Swiss francs (£200,000) for their part in the incident.

The forced suspension of the game has thrown an additional wrinkle into the schedule for both teams, though it will likely have no serious bearing on their prospects for the end of the year.

Both teams have already qualified for Qatar 2022, joining a host of European nations, plus Iran and South Korea, in the hat for the tournament.