11 players who breached COVID-19 regulations: Grealish, Walker, Sancho...
- George Attwood
- 26 December 2021
Following recent revelations about Jack Grealish and Phil Foden’s pre-Christmas clubbing session, we take a look at 11 players who broke COVID-19 rules.
With Premier League games being cancelled left, right and centre, the last thing Pep Guardiola wanted was for two of his own players to put themselves at high risk of infection.
Brian Kinnear
In February 2021, Kinnear was one of five Rangers players who broke COVID-19 restrictions by attending a house party that was broken up by the police. Kinnear was initially suspended and then released in the summer.
Since his release from the Scottish champions, Kinnear has joined West Ham United where he will play in the development side.
Kyle Walker
Walker has broken lockdown restrictions twice. In May 2020, the Manchester City and England defender drove to his home town of Sheffield to visit his sister and parents. Walker claimed the drive was necessary because of media intrusions, claiming he has going through a tough period in his life.
The previous month, Walker had flouted regulations by hosting a house party.
Nathan Patterson
Nineteen-year-old Patterson was another of the Rangers players suspended for attending the party.
The group were fined by the club following the incident and later apologised for in an interview with Rangers' TV channel.
They were handed six-game bans by the Scottish FA, with two of the games suspended.
Sergio Reguilon
Reguilon was one of three Tottenham players who broke lockdown restrictions by attending a family Christmas party. They were outed when West Ham's George Lanzini, who was also at the get-together, posted pictures on Instagram.
The players were criticised by the club and then-manager Jose Mourinho before posting grovelling apologies on social media.
Ben Chilwell
Chilwell was among three England players who broke COVID-19 restrictions in October 2020, attending a surprise 23rd birthday party for Tammy Abraham. Abraham, Chilwell and Jadon Sancho were then withdrawn for the squad for the friendly with Wales.
It wasn't to be Chilwell's last brush with COVID, with the Chelsea defender later forced to isolate during Euro 2020 following Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour's positive test. Chilwell had been deemed a close contact of Gilmour's after the two nations played out a goalless draw.
Luka Milivojevic
Milivojevic broke lockdown restrictions when attending a New Year's Eve party in London with Fulham player Aleksander Mitrovic. Despite his breach of lockdown restrictions, he was still selected by Roy Hodgson for Crystal Palace's game against Sheffield United. His negative test meant he hadn't broken league protocols, according to Hodgson.
Giovani Lo Celso
Lo Celso was one of three three Tottenham players who broke lockdown restrictions by attending the Christmas party alongside Lanzini.
He took to Twitter to publicly apologise for his actions, claiming he appreciated the sacrifices people had made.
Lo Celso is currently in hot water with Tottenham again after travelling to the ill-fated World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina against the club's wishes.
Manuel Lanzini
The man behind the Christmas party leak, it is unknown what his punishment was as the matter was handled internally by West Ham.
However, he was strongly reminded of his responsibilities, not only by his club, but by the three Tottenham players he landed in it no doubt.
Jack Grealish
In December 2020, Grealish and Aston Villa teammate Ross Barkley broke COVID-19 restrictions when the pair went out for dinner in a Mayfair restaurant.
It was the second time Grealish had broken restrictions, having done so in more dramatic circumstances in March 2020.
The midfielder was banned from driving for nine months and fined £82,499 after crashing his Range Rover during March’s COVID-19 lockdown.
Luka Jovic
Jovic was fined £27,000 after breaking lockdown restrictions in his native Serbia.
The striker was supposed to be self-isolating but chose to attend his girlfriend's birthday party. He was fined and narrowly avoided a jail sentence.
Jovic had been provided special dispensation by Real Madrid to travel to Serbia.
Jadon Sancho
Sancho was among the three England players who broke COVID-19 restrictions by attending a birthday party for Abraham.
A Borussia Dortmund player at the time, Sancho was initially banned from training, missing the friendly with Wales. However, all three were readmitted to England's secure eco-bubble ahead of the Nations League game with Belgium that followed.
