Can Son Heung-min, the core of the soccer team, compete in Japan and Japan?
On the 15th, coach Paulo Bento of the Korean national football team included Son Heung-min (29, Tottenham) in the national team list. However, Son Heung-min was replaced with a hamstring injury in the first 19 minutes against Arsenal. At the time, Arsenal director Jom Mourinho said, “It’s a muscle problem, but it’s not easy.”
The British football media Football London reported on the 16th that Son Heung-min’s injury was not severe. Football London predicted that “Son Heung-min could come back in time for the Aston Villa away game on the weekend.” The Korea Football Association explained on the 17th that “Tottenham is currently closely grasping the physical condition of Son Heung-min, including the injured part, and is planning to convey its position regarding the selection of the national team to the KFA on the 19th-20th.”
Upon receiving an official letter from Tottenham, the Football Association will officially announce whether Son Heung-min will participate in the Korea-Japan match. Korea faces an evaluation match between Japan and the national team in Yokohama, Japan on March 25, during the A match period. The Football Association is checking the physical condition of Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, and both Tottenham and the Korean national team are worried.
There are also observations that Son Heung-min will not be able to participate in the event before the spectators gather due to the British government’s quarantine regulations. The British government has enforced a special rule that exempts elite athletes from quarantine if they are tested for novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) immediately after returning to their home country, and if a negative test is found. Accordingly, if the team is required to self-isolate for more than 5 days after returning to the national team, the rules of the International Football Federation (FIFA) that allowed the team to refuse to draw will not be applied. However, the special rules of the British government only apply when a game is played overseas as a’no spectator’. Since the Korea-Japan War is held in the midst of a related match, Tottenham may refuse to borrow.
Regarding this, a KFA official said, “We are not currently considering such a part, and Tottenham did not mention it. Both sides are focusing their attention on Son Heung-min’s physical condition.”
Whether or not Hwang Hee-chan, a member of Leipzig, Germany, will be selected sooner or later, but KFA is highly likely to be misfired. Hwang Hee-chan is discussing exemption from quarantine after returning home after his team and the state government have confirmed the player’s destination and itinerary.
Reporter Se-ra Kim, Consumer Economic Daily