The question regarding whether or not Neymar Jr. and other Paris Saint-Germain players can return to France while the country is on lockdown due to the coronavirus has finally been answered.
On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron announced that France’s lockdown will continue until May 11. During his address to the nation, Macron added that borders with non-European countries will remain closed until further notice.
That immediately led to speculation that the PSG players who left France for non-European countries—primarily Neymar (Brazil), Edinson Cavani (Uruguay), and Keylor Navas (Costa Rica)—could face difficulty returning to Paris if and when the season resumes. Thiago Silva also departed for Brazil but he is a dual citizen and isn’t subjected to the same restrictions as his teammates.
According to Le Parisien, those players will not have to wait until the transfer ban is lifted in order to return to France but three conditions must be met in order to ensure re-entry.
The players must prove they have a residence in France, possess a residence permit, and find a plane (commercial or private) that is willing to make the trip.
Upon their return to Paris, the players will not have to go into quarantine but they will simply need to adhere to the rules of the lockdown already in place.
PSG could return to training as early as May 11, and the Ligue 1 season could resume by mid-June. It might be a good time for those players who are abroad to start making travel plans.
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