December 09, (THEWILL) – UEFA has reversed its decision and confirmed that Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa Conference League encounter against Rennes on Thursday night will be cancelled.
This comes despite previous assurances that COVID-19 events would not affect the tie.
According to UEFA rules, a fixture can be postponed if a club has fewer than 13 senior players available and no goalkeeper, which meant Spurs were on the edge and, in the end, they felt the scenario regarding the Rennes game was unacceptable. Spurs were also aware of their responsibilities not to endanger Rennes.
Rennes will be disappointed by the decision, which comes after the London club’s alarming rise in COVID-19 cases. Rennes had waited for assurances that the game would go ahead before flying to London City airport on Wednesday.
The French club issued a statement late on Wednesday night, claiming that UEFA had not officially notified them of the postponement and accusing Spurs of neglecting to reveal all of the outbreak’s specifics. They were angry and frustrated as they flew home on Thursday morning.
It is understood that the regulatory body did not ratify its position on Wednesday night because Spurs had not provided written confirmation of their situation.
However, following conversations with Tottenham, it has been determined that the game cannot be played. The match will be rescheduled soon, and according to UEFA rules, it must be played before the end of the month, but there may be some flexibility.
Spurs, who have shuttered the first-team part of their training facility, issued a statement at 10pm, announcing that the game against Rennes has been cancelled, citing the rising viral situation.
In the same vein, Leicester had previously stated that seven of its players and three staff members will not be able to travel to Napoli for their Europa League match due to COVID-19.
The Premier League verified 12 positive cases among players and staff last week, the largest number since August, and the situations at Spurs and Leicester are concerning, especially given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
