Liverpool Players to Begin Copa America Campaign.

After a year’s delay, the Copa America kicks off tonight. Brazil will kick off against Venezuela with Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino all expected to be involved.

It’s not clear anyone actually wants this tournament. The Covid situation in South America is still tragically difficult, with vaccination rates still lower than Europe or North America while the virus rages on. It’s certainly not great for the players’ fitness, with the continual grind of more football going on and on.

Original hosts Colombia and Argentina were stripped of the tournament which has since been given to Brazil. The Brazilian covid situation is not good, and it seems extremely unsafe to hold the contest there at this point. It’s a sorry state football finds itself in that this tournament is being played to fill out TV contracts and line pockets.

From a Liverpool perspective, we have three Brazilians all involved. Alisson in particular has been less than pleased the contest is going ahead, and rightly so. From a vantage point of the UK, all I can do is sit and hope nothing terrible happens here. It’s certainly not a fun festival of football.

Anyway, let’s at least hope for the best and for none of our three players to get injured.