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Antonio Conte has confirmed eight players from Tottenham’s first-team squad and five staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Tottenham host Rennes in the Europa League on Thursday, with UEFA regulations saying the match cannot be postponed unless the club has fewer than 13 players or a registered goalkeeper is not available.
A win over their French opponent, who have already been assured of taking the top spot in the group, is required for a chance to qualify for the last 32, but Conte expects more confirmed cases.
“The situation is making me very upset because the situation is dangerous,” Conte said.
“It is contagious and there is a big infection. Now we are a little afraid because tomorrow we don’t know what will happen.”
All of the European group stage matches must be completed by the end of 2021, with the club already facing a busy celebratory schedule that leaves no clear window to rearrange the match.
Conte said he prepared for Thursday’s game with 11 players in training on Wednesday, with one of those players later being tested alongside a team member, describing the situation as “very strange and unbelievable”.
Those cases followed two similar findings on Tuesday after the initial outbreak.
Conte did not reveal whether the club would contact the Premier League over Sunday’s match at Brighton over a possible delay.
And the Italian added: “Tomorrow, who? Me? I don’t know. Better than a player for sure. It’s not for everyone because we’re in touch with our family when we go home.”
Could the Tottenham match against Brighton be postponed?
In the Premier League, the 2021-22 handbook states that permission will not be granted to postpone a league match if a club has 14 or more players on its available team roster.
However, the decision to postpone league matches is made on a case-by-case basis, and the decision will be made by the Premier League Board of Directors if a request is received from a club.
The decision to postpone League matches is made on a case-by-case basis and the decision will be made by the Premier League Board of Directors if a request is received from a club.
Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojberg was also scheduled to attend the pre-match press conference, but Conte addressed the media alone.
“It definitely makes me upset because I’m here to talk about football, about the players and the atmosphere I want to see tomorrow,” Conte said.
“Instead we are talking about people who have Covid.”
Conte was unable to confirm whether he was the surrogate Omicron at the center of the outbreak but did reveal that he had been vaccinated.
Upon receiving the vaccination within the squad, the Tottenham chief added: “I think everyone (by themselves) makes the best decision and it is a question for the medical department about people whether they have been vaccinated or not.”
Tottenham won 10 points from Conte’s first four matches in the Premier League but the Italian team was humbled by NS Moura in the previous Europa League match.
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Tottenham’s win over Norwich in the Premier League. Tottenham matches: what’s new?
December 9: Tottenham vs Rennes – Europa League, 8pm
December 12: Brighton vs Tottenham – Premier League, 2pm
December 16: Leicester vs Tottenham (Premier League, 7.30pm)
December 19: Tottenham vs Liverpool – Premier League kick-off, 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
December 22: Tottenham vs West Ham – Carabao Cup, 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports
December 26: Tottenham vs Crystal Palace (Premier League, 3pm)
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